A hookah bar that has been illegally operating in a rented residential property in Bengaluru has led to the arrest of the company’s senior analyst along with his associate. The Kumbalgodu Police discovered the operation during a raid at Kenchanapura village on the outskirts of the city.
Ajith B. Nayak (28) of Meenakshinagar in Basaveshwaranagar and Varun K.R. (25) of Hassan district are the accused. Ajith holds a degree in Civil Engineering and a postgraduate degree in Economics. He was a Senior Analyst at a private company in Domlur. Varun, who graduated in BBA, worked as a supplier at the illegal hookah shop.
They had developed their own business plan from frequenting hookah lounges and resorts in Ramanagara district, they said. The accused and other friends would often visit Ramanagara to smoke hookah and had spent around ₹500 per person there. They looked for a less expensive and more convenient way to do it, and they set up their own hookah setup.
To make their plan a reality, the accused allegedly bought hookah equipment and flavoured tobacco products from a hookah bar in Annapoorneshwarinagar that had shut down. They rented the first floor of a house in Kenchanapura village for a monthly rent of ₹13,000. The premises were mainly used during weekends, when friends and selected customers were invited to consume hookah.
The illegal operation continued for some time until police received credible information about suspicious activities at the rented property. Based on the tip-off, a team led by Kumbalgodu Police Inspector Kumar conducted a raid on the premises.
The officers found and seized various objects used for running the hookah bar. They seized five hookah pots, three hookah pipes, lighters, charcoal, foil sheets, and cash of ₹450 that police believe was collected from customers. The findings proved the entire place was being used for illegal hookah-related activities.
Police officials said a case has been registered against the accused under relevant provisions and more investigations are going on. A key issue to be investigated is whether the owner of the rented building knew that the property was being used for the illegal hookah bar.
All of which has brought back the debate on illegal hookah bars in residential areas. In the last few years, Bengaluru police have been conducting regular drives to spot hookah lounges where people commit crimes and to take action against those involved.
The men were brought before the court, and the investigation is still going on to determine if there were more people involved in the operation.
