March 27, 2024: Bigg Boss 17 winner and standup comedian Munawar Faruqui on Tuesday night detained by the Mumbai Police for allegedly consuming tobacco-based hookah at a hookah bar in South Mumbai.

According to the Mumbai Police, a team conducted a raid on a hookah bar named Sabalan and found 14 people consuming hookah, including Faruqui.

After verifying that tobacco was being smoked, an offence was registered under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act at the local MRA Marg police station. A police official said that since it was a bailable offence, the accused were released with notice.

The raid was carried out at 9:45 PM on Tuesday after police received a tip-off that some patrons were smoking tobacco-based hookahs at the parlour in the guise of smoking herbal hookahs. Faruqui and 13 others have been booked under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), along with the Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter) and 336 (act endangering the life or personal safety of others).

In this raid, the police seized a total of Rs 4,400 in cash and nine hookah pots worth Rs 13,500. Further investigation into the matter is currently underway.