Pune: Police Crackdown On Illegal Hookah Parlor In Lonavla Leads To Arrests

Under the leadership of Additional Superintendent of Police Satyasai Karthik, the Lonavala sub-division has witnessed a crackdown on illegal businesses and criminal activities.

Acting on credible information, Karthik and his team conducted a raid at Hotel Sitka Dhaba on the Old Mumbai Pune Highway in Lonavala Rural Police Station area on Saturday.

During the raid, it was discovered that the hotel was operating an illegal hookah parlor, providing hookah to customers unlawfully. A complaint was filed by Sachin Gaikwad on behalf of the government at Lonavla Rural Post Station, naming individuals involved in the illegal operation: Krishna Natha Rathod, aged 31, Pratap Krishna Dimle, aged 42, and Bipinchu Mar Parameshwar Mahato, aged 30.

A case has been registered under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act. Further investigation is underway by the Lonavla Rural Police.

The operation was conducted under the guidance of Superintendent of Police Pankaj Deshmukh of the Pune Rural Police, along with Additional Superintendent of Police Ramesh Chopde.

This comes days after Pune Rural Police issued an order asking hotels, restaurants, bars, permit rooms, and hookah parlours in its jurisdiction to close down by 12.30am.

The order came into force on Thursday (March 7).

Previously, Pune City police issued a similar order under section 144 of CrPC on March 5, urging bars, restaurants, pubs, and rooftop establishments to raise awareness among their guests about traffic rules regarding 'drunk and drive.'