Sleuths of the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar Police Commissionerate raided a hotel in the coastal area of Uttan found to be operating a hookah joint in its premises. The team was led by Assistant Police Inspector Satish Nikam.
Following information about the nefarious activities, the police personnel swooped down on Rocky’s Kitchen- an eatery located in Chawli village area on the Uttan-Gorai Road at around 5:45 pm on Wednesday. The hotel operator identified as Vishal Keshavlal Mistry, 26, a resident of Bhayandar, was apprehended along with three waiters of the establishment. The raiding team seized a large number of hookah pipes, pots, tobacco laced flavours and other incriminating material from the spot. Eight customers, who were found to be soliciting the hookah services which were being illegally provided in the hotel, were slapped with notices.
A case under the relevant sections of the IPC and Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution Act) - (COPTA), 2003, has been registered against the quartet. An offence for violating the in-force disaster management act and Maharashtra COVID-19 regulations was also registered, police said.
