4 held for running illegal hookah bar

GHAZIABAD: Four men were arrested after an illegal hookah bar functioning inside a restaurant in Kaushambi here was raided by a joint team of the police and excise department, officials said on Wednesday.

The Uttar Pradesh excise department and Kaushambi police on Tuesday night raided the hookah bar, which was being run without any license in a private mall, Indirapuram deputy superintendent of police Anshu Jain told PTI.

Aside from the arrests, a huge quantity of liquor and flavoured tobacco has been recovered as well, the DSP added.

At the place, 12 hookahs, 88 beer bottles, 11 foreign liquor bottles and other items used in smoking and an SUV were seized by the officials.

The four arrested persons were identified as Muzahid, Virendra, Trilok and Naresh.

They have been sent to judicial custody while the seized vehicle and items have been impounded, DSP Jain added.