KOCHI: Excise officials have arrested the bar manager of Harbor View Fly High Bar in Kochi's Ravipuram after it was found that foreign women were serving liquor in the bar. Five Russian women were found serving alcohol. Playback singers, DJs and actors were seen attending the party organised in the bar. The party took place a day before the inauguration of the luxuriously renovated bar.

As per Excise Rules, women cannot serve alcohol in bars. Apart from this, the excise officials also registered a case against the bar manager for not writing the stock book. The manager, Abdul Khader, was later released on bail.

The grand opening of Fly High was on Saturday evening. The Russian women were brought from Mumbai to make the soft launch more attractive. They returned the same day.

Excise officials conducted a search last night after footage shot by those who went to the bar went viral on social media. Special Squad Inspector Anwar Sadat handed over the preliminary investigation report to the Deputy Commissioner. The report suggests that the license be revoked.

When the bar manager pointed out that there was a court order that allows women to serve liquor in bars, the Excise officials said that permission has been given to only White Dammar bar operating in Thiruvananthapuram and none else.