Hookah bar sealed in Sector 18, three held

NOIDA: Three persons were arrested by the city administration in a late evening raid on a hookah bar at the Sector 18 main market on Thursday.
The hookah bar — Cheenos — has also been sealed, officials said.

“No licence is given to hookah bars. We have sealed Cheenos and arrested three persons. Who knows what they have been serving in the name of hookah? Anyway, it is a matter of investigation now,” said city magistrate Shailendra Kumar Mishra.

The raid comes hours after Mishra ordered all malls in the city to ensure that no restaurants, bars and hookah outlets operate without requisite licence.

“We have noted incidents of pub and hookah bar brawls in recent times where anti-social elements have been active. Hence, I have issued the directive to all malls in the city,” said district magistrate BN Singh.

While the hookah bar was sealed under Section 4 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003, a case has been registered under section 267 (false sale) and 278 (making atmosphere noxious to health on the spot) of IPC.

Thursday’s sealing came some 10 days after eight people were arrested on New Year’s eve for illegally running hookah and liquor bars in Sector 50-based Lama and Co.

While the manager and seven other employees of the outlet were held during a joint action by the district administration and the police, the establishment had been sealed as the restro-bar was serving hookah without a licence, said Shwetabh Pandey, circle officer 3, Noida city.