Sitabuldi police have registered a case against the operators of De-Anatolia Café in Dharampeth for allegedly running an illegal hookah parlour and serving prohibited tobacco-based hookah products to customers without a valid licence.
The action was taken under the city police commissioner’s special anti-narcotics and anti-tobacco drive, “Operation Thunder – Let Us Unite to Build a Drug-Free Society.” Acting on specific intelligence, the police conducted a raid between 11.10 pm and 11.55 pm on January 14, 2026, at the café located near Coffee House Square in the Dharampeth area.
During the raid, the police team caught the accused red-handed while allegedly supplying banned hookah products to customers. The accused have been identified as Roger Ahmed Sheikh (19) of Telangkhedi, Ambazari; Harsh Prakash Rajpal (22) of Seminary Hills, Gittikhadan; Arya Meshram (24); and Abhilash Bhave (32) of Ambazari. Investigations revealed that the accused were operating the hookah parlour illegally in connivance with each other for monetary gains.
Police seized hookah-related equipment, including hookah pots, various flavoured tobacco products and other materials, collectively valued at Rs 5,400, from the premises.
A case has been registered at Sitabuldi police station under Sections 4(1), 5 and 21 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (COTPA) Act, 2003, along with provisions of the Maharashtra Amendment Act, 2018. Further investigation is in progress.
The raid was conducted under the guidance of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 2) Nityanand Jha, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Sitabuldi Division) Kiran Poplaghat and Senior Police Inspector Vitthalsing Rajput. The operation was executed by Assistant Police Inspector Shyam Warange, along with police personnel Harshad Bhalerao, Amol Nagrik, Pravin Dahale and Mousami Katre.
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