Pune: Sahakarnagar Police busted an illegal hookah parlour operating without a licence on the terrace of a residential building in an upscale housing society in Dhankawadi on Monday night.
The accused have been identified as Rajsingh Bhajansingh Gorowada (35, hotel owner, resident of Rajmudra Society, Dhankawadi); Paras Parmanand Sharma (24, waiter, currently residing at the premises, originally from Nepalgunj, Banke District, Nepal); Subhash Mansingh Giri (20, originally from Kanchanpur, Bilori District, Nepal); Tilak Bhola Tiwari (35, originally from Tikapur, Kailali District, Nepal); and Narayan Meghe Acharya (34, originally from Tikapur, Kailali District, Nepal).
According to police officials, the action was taken after police constable Amol Pawar received a tip-off from an informant while patrolling near Gulabnagar Chowk. The informant stated that an unauthorised hookah parlour was being run on the terrace on the third floor of Shri Guru Nanak Krupa Building in Rajmudra Housing Society in Dhankawadi, Sahakarnagar.
The information was conveyed to Police Sub-Inspector Ganesh Karche of the detection team. Acting on the information, Senior Police Inspector Vitthal Pawar of Sahakarnagar Police Station formed a team and dispatched it to the location.
Upon reaching the spot, the police team entered the building and broke open a wooden door leading to the terrace. During the raid, police found six tables arranged in a hall-like setup. Eight individuals were found consuming hookah at four of the tables. The police also identified the hotel owner and staff present at the counter.
During inspection of the kitchen area, police found multiple hookah pots, chillums filled with flavoured tobacco, and other related materials. Goods worth Rs 12,495 were seized.
A case has been registered at Sahakarnagar Police Station under Crime Register No. 43/2026 under Sections 123 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with Sections 4(a) and 21(a) of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Maharashtra Amendment) Act, 2018.
Senior Police Inspector Vitthal Pawar, speaking to The Free Press Journal, said, "Rajsingh Gorowada earlier owned a hotel in the Swargate area, which he recently shut down. The entire three-storey Gurunanak Krupa building is privately owned by Gorowada. He had started the business in the last 4–5 days without permission. We have taken the accused into custody. The accused belong to Nepal; we are interrogating them. Accordingly, action will be taken."
