Nagpur: The Social Security Branch of the Nagpur Crime Branch raided 9 Lounge Hookah Parlour on Hill Road in Gandhinagar, under the jurisdiction of Ambazari Police Station, on Tuesday evening and booked the owner, manager and an employee for allegedly serving tobacco-based hookah products to customers in violation of regulations.

The accused have been identified as Abhishek Shikharchand Jain (41), the owner, a resident of near Parwarpura Jain Temple in Nagpur; Nikhil Sanjay Khobragade (37), the manager, a resident of Dharampeth near Rudra Avatar Press; and Rupesh Krishnarao Wankhede (30), an employee, a resident of Gandhinagar near the Maruti Suzuki showroom.

Ten customers were also found at the parlour, taking the total number of persons involved in the police action to 13.

The raid was conducted between 6.15 pm and 10.30 pm on October 13, 2026. According to the police, the accused were allegedly providing customers with tobacco-based hookah products and facilities for smoking them. They were also found to be allegedly violating Directive No. 1 of a notification issued by the Nagpur Police Commissioner on October 7, 2026.

During the operation, the police seized hookah pots, flavours and other materials used for smoking hookah, collectively valued at ₹15,370.

A case has been registered under Sections 223 and 272 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant provisions of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003.

The accused and the seized materials were subsequently handed over to Ambazari Police Station for further legal action. The operation was carried out by the Social Security Branch of the Nagpur Crime Branch under the supervision of Police Inspector Darshan Patil.