Nagpur: Crime Branch raids hookah parlour in Sitabuldi, 23 caught, three arrested

Nagpur police have been tightening the noose on hookah parlours using banned tobacco products. In the latest action, a joint Crime Branch team raided the 'Second Floor Cafe' at Laxmi Bhavan Chowk in the Sitabuldi police station area late at night. During the raid, 23 customers were caught smoking hookah inside the cafe.

As soon as the police team reached the spot, the parlour operator locked the door from outside in an attempt to stop the action. The police noticed this and broke the lock in the presence of witnesses to enter, after which the activities going on inside the hookah parlour were exposed and the action could begin.

The raid was carried out jointly by Crime Branch Unit-2, Unit-3 and the NDPS team. The investigation found that banned tobacco-flavoured substances were being used at the cafe. Police seized a large quantity of hookah-related equipment and banned tobacco from the spot.

The seized items include 19 hookah pots, 10 pipes, 20 chillums and packets of banned tobacco. According to police, the total value of the seized goods is estimated at around Rs 2.02 lakh.

In this case, police have arrested the parlour operator Sunny Vikas Borkar, along with Sarthak Babarao Pakhale and Harsh Naresh Durve. Separate action has also been taken against the 23 customers who were smoking hookah and against the owner of the premises.

A case has been registered at Sitabuldi police station under the COTPA Act and related sections. The arrested accused and the seized items have been handed over to Sitabuldi police for further action.

Following this Crime Branch action, other hookah parlours in the city running on banned tobacco products have also been thrown into a panic.