Man held for providing on-demand hookah services in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: A man was arrested for allegedly providing illegal hookah services to private customers in a raid by the Central Task Force and Khairtabad police on Friday, September 27. The state currently has a ban on hookah bars.

The accused has been identified as Raju Nagaraju, 29, a native of the Trichy district of Tamil Nadu, residing in Maruthi Nagar, Khairtabad. He was arrested from his residence.

Raju earlier worked in a hookah parlour in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad. Since the state banned hookah parlours he had been providing private hookah services to customers in the city.

According to the police, customers would contact him online and he would provide hookah pots, flavours, etc. He has been charging Rs 2000 per hookah session. Following the arrest, the police seized hookah pots and other smoking accessories.

Khairtabad police have charged Raju under the cigarettes and other tobacco products act (COTPA). Raju had earlier also been arrested for offences under the same act before by Ghatkesar police.