Illegal hookah bar at Hotel Baithak Dhaba raided in Lonavala; owner, two others booked (Video)

Last updated Mar 18, 2024

Lonavala: A hotel owner and two others were booked and valuables were seized for running an illegal hookah bar in Lonavala.

A police team led by Satya Sai Karthik (IPS) raided Hotel Baithak Dhaba in Lonavala, where the illegal hookah bar was running, and seized valuables, including pots, flavoured tobacco, filters and pipes, worth Rs 44,790.

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Policeman Sachin Gaikwad lodged a complaint at the Lonavala Rural Police Station. Krushna Natha Rathod (31), a resident of Lonavala, hotel owner Prathap Krushna Dimale (42), a resident of Karla, and Bipinchchu Mar Parmeshwar Mahato (30), a resident of Thane, have been booked under sections 4(a) and 21(a) of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA), 2003 and sections 188, 34 of the IPC.

Lonavala Sub-division Assistant SP Staya Sai Karthik has started acting against illegal businesses and criminals after taking charge. Karthik had asked all business establishment owners that they should strictly follow the prescribed rules and regulations, failing which they would have to face tough action. However, some business owners have been ignoring them.

Karthik had received a tip-off that the illegal hookah parlour was being run at Hotel Baithak Dhaba. The police officer raided Hotel Baithak Dhaba on old Mumbai-Pune highway at Karla, along with his team. The police found that the hotel owner was running the bar and serving customers illegally. Pots, flavoured tobacco, pipes and filters, meant for the hookah, totally valued at Rs 44,790 were seized. The Lonavala Rural Police are investigating further.

The action was taken under the guidance of SP Pankaj Deshmukh and Addl SP Ramesh Chopde. Lonavala Sub-Division Asst SP Satya Sai Karthik, PSI Shubham Chavan, PSI Rohan Patil, policemen Ankush Naikude, Sachin Gaikwad, Subhash Shinde, Ankush Pawar, Ganesh Yelwande, Kale, Takle, Malve, Pawar and women cops Chavare and Shinde took part in the action.