Nagpur: Acting under “Operation Thunder – Let’s Unite for a Drug-Free Society,” conceptualised by Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravinder Kumar Singal, Sadar police raided an illegal hookah parlour in the early hours of Tuesday and registered a case against five persons for serving prohibited tobacco-based hookah products without licence.

Between 12.15 am and 12.40 am on March 24, a team from the Sadar Police Station conducted a panchanama raid at Downtown Hookah Parlour on Mount Road, adjacent to Hotel Saatbara in Sadar. Police found the accused allegedly supplying banned flavoured tobacco for hookah consumption to customers for monetary gain.

Those booked have been identified as Shubham Suresh Jain (30) of Koshtipura near Nikas Mandir; Prince Naresh Thomas (20) of Gaddigodam, near Shri Brothers Saree Shop, Sadar; Paresh Naresh Sorte (19) of Lakadganj near Nikas Mandir; Rehan Ali Abdul Ali (30) of Mahal, Gandhi Gate under Kotwali limits; and Mohammad Aitekhan Mohammad Shakeel (27) of Naik Road, Mahal.

Police seized hookah pots, flavoured tobacco and related materials collectively valued at Rs 8,750. An offence has been registered under Sections 4(a) and 21(a) of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003, as amended by the Maharashtra Act, 2018. Further investigation is underway. The operation was carried out under the supervision of senior officers of the North Division.