Illegal hookah bar in Noida sector 18 busted, three arrested

According to Rajneesh Verma, assistant commissioner of police-1, Noida, a complaint was received regarding loud music at a restaurant at around 2am on Monday

The Gautam Budh Nagar police busted an illegal hookah bar at a restaurant in Sector 18 on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, said police officers. Three people, including the owners of the restaurant, were arrested for violating norms, said police.

Three people, including the owners of the restaurant, were arrested for violating norms, said police.

According to Rajneesh Verma, assistant commissioner of police-1, Noida, a complaint was received regarding loud music at a restaurant at around 2am on Monday.

“When we reached the spot at 2am, the restaurant was serving hookah to customers. There were 12 customers at the spot, who were consuming hookah, and we let them go with a warning. The two co-owners of the restaurant, Vikas Yadav (23) and Uttam (20), and a waiter Amir (24), were arrested from the spot,” said Verma.

Two hookahs and one music system were recovered from the possession of the suspects, said police officers.

“Investigation found that the restaurant was operating for the past one year and they did not have any bar licence. A case was registered at Sector 20 police station under relevant sections of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA),” said Verma.

The suspects were produced before a court and sent to judicial custody on Monday.