Cyber cafes sans licence shut down

After the revelation that the German Bakery blast conspiracy was hatched in a cyber cafe in Udgir, Latur, the city police ordered shut all cyber cafes without a licence from the police. The police sent all such cafes a notice last week.

The cafe owners also received a letter telling them to pay a penalty of between Rs 2,000 and Rs 5000 in court. "Cafes without licence have been shut down because the German Bakery conspiracy was hatched in a cafe," said Police Inspector Nand Kishore Bhosale from Hinjewadi police station.

Zoher Harnesswala, head, Cyber Cafe Assoc-iation, Camp, said the action was uncalled for as owners had applied for licences two years ago but the police had delayed the process.