BANGALORE: Following a tip- off, the Koramangala police are said to have raided 37 places suspected of serving hookah to customers and seized 15 hookah pipes, 20 flavoured tobacco packets. However, cases have been booked against Sufi Cafe, functioning from Empire Hotel 3rd floor, and Cape Town Bar in Koramangala Fifth Block.
The police have arrested 44-year-old Mozakam of Sufi Cafe along with lower order staff 23-year-old Siddarth and 19-year-old Reela. The owner of the cafe, Mohammed Karim, is said to be absconding.
Similarly, at the Cape Town Bar, Mehap, aged 27 years, Nehal, aged 22 years, Salman, 19 years and Murali, aged 24 years, have been arrested. A lookout notice against owner Firoz, who hails from Kerala, has been issued, the police explained.
Confirming the raids, seizure of some items and the subsequent arrest of the accused, Koramangala Police Inspector S Sudheer said, “These establishments were operating on the pretext of running eating joints, but were actually involved in serving hookah which is banned. We have produced all the arrested persons before the 8th APMC Court and the spot verdict of fines was delivered. We now have seized both the joints.”