Nagpur:: In a late-night crackdown, the Bajaj Nagar Police Station team raided a café in Bajaj Nagar Chowk and seized hookah pots and flavoured tobacco products collectively valued at ₹29,700. The action was carried out past midnight following a tip-off that customers were being served hookah at the establishment.
According to police sources, officers were on routine patrol on March 10 at around 11:55 pm when they received information that hookah was being served at “Celestier Café” located at Bajaj Nagar Chowk. Acting on the input, a team led by Sub-Inspector Deepak Pawar reached the spot at approximately 12:15 am along with panch witnesses and necessary documentation equipment.
Upon entering the premises, officials reportedly detected a strong odour of tobacco smoke. The café, spread across an estimated 30x50 फुट area, had six tables arranged inside. Two customers present at the counter identified themselves as Sachin Ashok Bhande (27), a resident of Ramnagar, Telangkhedi, and Aditya Anil Pendke (30), a resident of Reshimbagh Road.
The café manager, Abhay Pramod Rao (34), informed police that hookah and tobacco products were being served on the instructions of the owner, Amit Bhimdev Ingole (35), a resident of Jay Durganagar, Zingabai Takli.
During the raid, police seized 13 glass hookah pots with steel pipes, 13 rubber hoses, 15 clay chillums, and multiple packets and containers of flavoured tobacco, including Double Apple, Strawberry, Sultani Pan, Orange, Blueberry, Brain Fiza, and Mint variants. Samples of the tobacco products were sent for forensic examination, while the remaining material was confiscated in the presence of witnesses.
A case has been registered against the manager and the owner under relevant provisions of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, as amended in 2018, along with applicable sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The operation was conducted by PI C B Chauhan and his team under the guidance of senior city police officials, including Deputy Commissioner of Police S Rushikesh Reddy and Assistant Commissioner of Police Gurav, officials confirmed.
