8 held in raid on hookah bar running without licence in Noida

Eight people were arrested on New Year's eve for illegally running hookah and liquor bars at a restaurant here, police said.

The manager and seven other employees of the Sector 50-based Lama and Co. were held during a joint action by the district administration and police Monday, a senior official said, adding that the establishment has been sealed.

Around 15 customers, who were present at the restaurant during the raid, were let off with a warning, Circle Officer, Noida City 3rd, Shwetabh Pandey said.

"The restro-bar was serving hookah without a licence. It did not even have a licence to run a bar. The bar has been sealed, while several hookahs were seized," Pandey said.

He said the bar had been open for around five months now, while it had been about a month since it started serving hookah.

Further probe in the case will be done by the district food inspector, the officer said.