A word of advice for Mumbaikars planning to step out for a drink: do remember to carry your drinking permit. The license that allows you to consume liquor, for so long a prop for party jokes (the declaration on the permit says the holder requires 'foreign liquor and country liquor on grounds of health), is now a necessity, with Mumbai police making it clear that they are following the letter of the law.

While the focus so far has been on drug abuse at the Oakwood hotel bust, Deputy Commissioner Pratap Dighavkar said on Tuesday that even guests who had consumed alcohol could be booked as none of them were carrying drinking permits.

“You have to carry a permit to drink and everyone who tested positive for alcohol are under the scanner,” Dighavkar said, adding that action would be taken against the hotel under the Bombay Police Act as they didn't have permits to host a party or play music.

In all, 91 people were rounded up at the party in Juhu on Sunday, with all guests bundled into police vans and put through blood and urine tests.

Several guests Mumbai Mirror spoke to insisted they had not consumed drugs, and said they felt humiliated by the experience. As it turns out, that may not be the end of their problems.

Under The Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949, the possession, consumption, and transportation of liquor is illegal in Maharashtra without an alcohol permit. The legal age for alcohol consumption is 25 except Wardha district where it is 30.

The maximum fine for possessing, consuming or transporting alcohol without a permit is Rs 50,000 and/or a jail sentence of up to five years.

With the police cracking down in this manner, mugging up the IPC may not be a bad idea. And for information on how to procure a permit, go to Question No. 2 at http://stateexcise.maharashtra.gov.in/faq.htm.