Nagpur: Days after Crime Branch Unit 5 busted an illegal Holi party at Four Line Dhaba (FLD) on the Jabalpur-Hyderabad Outer Ring Road, a fresh dispute has erupted between the event organizers and the venue owner over permission status and financial arrangements.

While event manager Nilesh Rokde claims that FLD owner Aarif Sheikh assured them he had obtained all necessary permissions, Sheikh argues that he had informed them about the police denial a day before the event.

Conflicting Claims Over Permissions and Police Denial:

Speaking to Nagpur News, Nilesh Rokde stated that Aarif Sheikh had initially contacted him in January 2025 to organize a Holi party at FLD. Ashish Tiwari later joined the team, and the three decided to split the profits equally.

“Earlier, Sheikh assured us that he had obtained all necessary permissions from the police. However, just a day before the event, he informed us that Wathoda police had denied permission. By then, we had already sold 800-900 tickets. Given the circumstances, Sheikh assured us that he would ‘handle’ the police if they arrived. However, on the event day, as soon as Crime Branch Unit 5 raided the venue, Sheikh fled the spot,” Rokde alleged.

He further claimed that they had invested ₹8 lakh in production for the event.

FLD Owner Defends Himself:

On the other hand, Aarif Sheikh told Nagpur News that he had clearly informed the organizers a day before the event about the police denying permission. He also suggested that they use traditional dhol music instead of a DJ, as per police instructions.

“I informed them about Wathoda police’s refusal a day before and advised them to use dhol instead of a DJ. However, they went ahead with a DJ, which led to the Unit 5 raid. I was only providing the venue; Rokde and Tiwari were the actual organizers,” Sheikh asserted.

Ongoing Investigation:

Cops continue to probe the incident, with legal actions likely against those involved. The controversy surrounding the illegal Holi party highlights the lack of accountability in organizing such unauthorized events in Nagpur.