Two held after police raid hookah parlour at Gondkhairi hotel on Nagpur-Amravati highway
Nagpur Rural Police's Local Crime Branch arrested two men on 18 October and seized banned flavoured tobacco worth Rs 10,500 at Hotel Atmosphere.
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The Local Crime Branch of Nagpur Rural Police on 18 October raided an allegedly illegal hookah parlour at Hotel Atmosphere in Gondkhairi on the Nagpur-Amravati highway. Two people were arrested during the action. Police seized banned flavoured tobacco and hookah smoking equipment worth Rs 10,500 from the spot.
The accused have been identified as Anshuman Daniel Topno (42) and David John Phillips (34). Topno lives in the Hill Top area of Nagpur, while Phillips is a resident of Jaripatka.
According to police, a Local Crime Branch team was on patrol in the Saoner sub-division when an informant told it that a hookah parlour was allegedly being run at Hotel Atmosphere in Gondkhairi. Acting on the tip, the team reached the spot and raided it. The place falls under the Kalmeshwar police station area.
Police said flavoured tobacco of various brands, banned in Maharashtra, was allegedly found during the raid. Equipment used for smoking hookah was also recovered. All the seized material was taken into custody in the presence of panch witnesses.
Police said a case has been registered under Sections 4(a) and 21(a) of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA). Both accused have been arrested and police are investigating the case further.
The action was carried out under the guidance of Superintendent of Police Harsh A. Poddar, Additional Superintendent of Police Anil Mhaske and Saoner Sub-Divisional Police Officer Sagar Kharade. The raiding team was led by Local Crime Branch Police Inspector Ankush Mane.
