Nagpur: The Escort Squad of Nagpur Police raided an illegally operated hookah parlour at Dighori on Tuesday and booked its manager and owner for allegedly serving tobacco-based hookah products without permission.

Acting on a tip-off, the police conducted a raid at Texas Smoking Shop on Umred Road, Dighori, between 2.30 am and 2.55 am on September 1. During the raid, cafe manager Omkar Sandeep Madavi (20) was allegedly found serving prohibited tobacco-based hookah products to customers.

During questioning, Madavi identified Avinash Parvatlal Pandey, a resident of Sainagar on Umred Road, as the owner of the smoking shop. Police said the accused failed to produce any licence or permission for operating the establishment.

The police seized ₹38,100 in cash and hookah equipment, including pots of different sizes, pipes, tobacco-based hookah flavours and other material. The total value of the seized property was estimated at ₹94,240.

A case has been registered at Wathoda police station under relevant sections of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003, Maharashtra Amendment Act, 2018, along with provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act.

Further investigation is underway.

The action was carried out under the guidance of Police Commissioner Vishwas Nangare Patil by API Bhagwan Koli and his team, along with Wathoda police personnel.