28 held from Surat hookah bar get bail

DCB officials busted an illegal hookah bar running in a posh locality in Surat, late on Sunday night and arrested 28 youths. The youths were having a bash when the police team raided the bar. The arrested persons, mostly from well-to-do families, were later granted bail by court on Monday evening.

Acting on a tip-off, cops raided Sheesha Bar located on Ghod-dod road on Sunday. A party was going on at the bar when the police team raided the place and it was packed with youths, mostly from affluent families. The cops recovered six hookahs, Rs15,000 and flavoured box used in hookahs. Altogether 28 youths, including the owner of the bar Junaid Chandiwala, 25, a resident of Madhukunj Society at Nanpura, were arrested by police.

During police investigation, it was revealed that Junaid was operating the bar for the past many months and used to charge Rs180 per hour from hookah lovers. Apart from Surat, Junaid also owns such bars in Mumbai. Sources said that the majority of youths, who are nabbed by police, used to visit bar on regular basis. While the police claimed that the bar was running for the past one month, it is revealed that it was in operation for the past many years.

The arrested youths were produced before court on Monday afternoon, who were later released on bail bonds of Rs2,500.
If sources are to be believed, police registered a 'weak' case under IPC 272 & 273 so that the youths could get bails easily. These sections deal with producing and selling of adulterated products.

In the recent past, Surat police have busted three illegal hookah bars, but on every occasion, it registered a 'weak' case against bar owners. This was repeated in this case too. However, DCB PI J Patel refuted the allegation and said that everything was done as per law.

Sources said that the party at the hookah bar was given by one Nilalay Choksi, a resident of Umang Apartment at Parle-point, to celebrate his birthday. He and his 26 friends were enjoying hookah when the cops raided the place.