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Flouting hookah ban: 3 eateries booked after raids in Panchkula
Action comes after reports of nicotine being found in tobacco molasses served in hookahs
Three eateries in Panchkula have been booked for serving hookah on Monday night, police said on Tuesday. Those booked for flouting the ban are The Escape, a microbrewery in Sector 5; Cloud 5, a restaurant in Sector 11; and The Stage, a lounge bar in Sector 9.
Sources said the action comes after reports of nicotine being found in tobacco molasses served in hookahs in different bars and restaurants in the district.
The raids were conducted by a team comprising the subdivisional magistrate, assistant commissioner of police, food safety officer and drug control officer. Cases have been registered under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code besides Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act).
At The Escape, hookahs with nicotine and tobacco extracts were allegedly being served to customers. While the owner and customers reportedly left the spot on seeing the raiding team, two staffers — Arjun and Karan — were booked. The team took samples and seized seven hookahs besides a tin can and five plastic boxes of different flavours.
In the second case, a team raided Cloud 5, where hookah was allegedly being served along with liquor without licence. Police said the owner, identified as Happy of Baltana, was booked while his staff fled. Besides taking samples of hookah flavours from tables, the team seized boxes of different flavours and empty beer bottles along with four hookahs.
The team also raided The Stage, where people having hookahs left the place as soon as they arrived. Owner Kamal Preet and manager Sanjay Semwal were booked. The teams took samples and seized four hookahs and two boxes of flavours.
Meanwhile, raids were also conducted in the city’s periphery, where similar violations were found. Those booked include Bliss in Burj Kotian and Crispy Mountain in Kharku, both on the Morni road. Deputy commissioner of police Kamal Deep Goyal said hookahs have been banned under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
