Nagpur Crime Branch raids two cafes over alleged illegal hookah parlours, action against 15

The Crime Branch in Nagpur carried out two separate raids against allegedly illegal hookah parlours. One raid was at 'The Fusion Cafe' in Dharampeth and the other at '9 Lodge Cafe' in Gandhinagar, under the Ambazari police station limits. At both places, police seized banned tobacco products and hookah pots. Action has been taken against 15 people in all.

Two accused were arrested in the first action, while in the second a case has been registered against the cafe's operator, manager and an employee, along with 10 customers.

In the first case, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) team of the Crime Branch raided 'The Fusion Cafe' in Dharampeth on a tip-off. Police had received information that an illegal hookah parlour was allegedly being run under the guise of a cafe and that tobacco products were being sold there.

During the raid, Vikrant Shinde and Shubham Vaidya, who worked at the cafe, were caught. Police seized tobacco products of various flavours and hookah pots, with the goods worth about Rs 32,505.

A case has been registered against both accused under the relevant sections at Sitabuldi police station. The accused and the seized goods were handed over to police for further action.

The second action was carried out by the Social Security Branch (SSB) team of the Crime Branch. The team reached '9 Lodge Cafe' in Gandhinagar, in the Ambazari police station area. At the time of the raid, police found 10 customers smoking hookah there.

Police arrested the cafe's owner Abhishek Jain, manager Nikhil Khobragade and employee Rupesh Wankhede. Action was also taken against the 10 customers found smoking hookah at the spot.

In this raid, police recovered a large quantity of hookah pots and tobacco products. A case has been registered against the accused and the customers under the relevant legal sections at Ambazari police station.

Police investigation into both cases is continuing.