Disclose an EIB official: ``We are under a lot of pressure after the Jessica Lal murder.'' And the intelligence bureau has indeed planned a series of raids at farmhouses and restaurants across the Capital. A sprawling 6-acre complex, The Club houses a swimming pool, a sports complex, a bridge room, a restaurant and an unlicenced bar. At around 10.30 pm, the raiding team reportedly found around 10 persons having food and drinks in the lawns. Usually, The Club is reportedly very crowded. When asked about the thin attendance, a member of the raiding team explained: ``After Jessica Lal was murdered in Bina Ramani's restaurant, bars across the city are closing down early.''

Club manager Ramakant Kar and waiter Shankersan Dass were arrested. Owner of the club, Suresh Jain, is reportedly abroad and his son, Sumit Jain, is absconding. A case has been registered at Vasant Kunj Police Station under Section 61 of Act I, 1914, which carries a maximum imprisonment of three years.

The next stop of the raiding team was at the Ritz Court on the Mehrauli-Gurgaon road. The Court was deserted and the raiding team came back empty-handed.

Prior to these two raids, EIB's last strike was way back in August 1998 at the Country Club in Mehrauli. When asked about the intermittent period of hibernation, excise commissioner Gyanendra Srivastav said: ``We were busy controlling interstate smuggling of liquor. Our main thrust was to ensure that substandard liquor does not enter the national capital.''

Between February 1997 and August 1998, the excise team had raided 20 farmhouses and restaurants, a majority of which were patronised by the rich and the famous. All establishments were found to be serving liquor without licence.

The battery of raids was spurred by prohibition in neighbouring Haryana and the subsequent pressure to control the mushrooming of illegal bars in the Capital.

Of these, Tivoli Garden in Mehrauli -- located adjacent to Romesh Sharma's now infamous Jai Mata Di farmhouse -- was raided thrice in a period of one year. Tivoli Garden enjoys the reputation of of the most happening farmhouses in Mehrauli.

Cases under Act I, 1914, Section 61 had been lodged against the accused. However, nothing seems to have happened thereafter. The accused are out on bail and the cases still in court. Excise officials are not hopeful either. ``The prosecution rate in excise cases is less than 20 per cent. The accused are out on bail as serving liquor without a licence is a bailable offence. Excise cases are pursued in courts for years at an end,'' an EIB official said.