Ahmedabad Police bust illegal hookah bar operating from Ambli café

Ahmedabad: The Sarkhej police on Friday raided Roja’s Café in Ambli, alleging that it was operating an illegal hookah bar under the cover of a café. The owner, Praful Bharwad (44), was detained after questioning.

During the raid, police seized hookah-related materials worth around Rs. 66,000, including filter pipes, flavoured tobacco, coal, chillums and hookahs. The seized items have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to determine whether they contain nicotine.

Police suspect the illegal hookah service had been running for a significant period and are investigating how long the operation had been in place.

The latest action comes amid an intensified crackdown on illegal hookah bars and e-cigarette vendors in Ahmedabad. Over the past three months, police have uncovered eight similar cases in areas including Sindhu Bhavan, Thaltej, Ellisbridge, Sola and Bodakdev. In May alone, a six-team enforcement drive led to the seizure of contraband worth Rs. 17.6 lakh. DeshGujarat