Restaurant owner held for flouting hookah ban

Panchkula, September 29

The local police arrested the owner of a restaurant for flouting the hookah ban.

A police team conducted a raid at a restaurant in Sector 5 and found four hookahs being used there. The team arrested the restaurant owner, Saurav Chatterjee, who hails from Mumbai and is currently residing in Panchkula. A case under Sections 188, 269 and 270 of the IPC was registered against him at the Sector 5 Police Station.

Police Commissioner Sibas Kawiraj said various clubs, bars, lounges, hotels, and restaurants in the city served harmful, nicotine-laden tobacco in different flavours through hookahs. These substances posed a serious health risk and might contribute to the spread of infectious diseases. To address this concern, the police had enforced Section 144, which banned hookah use in the city. Any establishment found serving hookahs would face strict legal action, the cop said.

The police are conducting raids to ensure compliance of the ban orders.