Munawar Faruqui, the stand-up comedian and winner of Bigg Boss – 17, was one of 14 individuals detained by Mumbai police during a raid on a hookah parlour in south Mumbai, as disclosed by an official on Wednesday.
The Social Service branch of the city police carried out the operation at a hookah establishment situated in the Bora Bazar area of Fort, starting at 10:30 pm on Tuesday and lasting until 5 am on Wednesday. “During the raid, the police found stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui and others smoking hookahs at the joint. We also have a video of their act. We detained Faruqui and others, but they were later allowed to go as the sections slapped against them were bailable,” said a senior police official.
Acting on information suggesting that patrons were consuming tobacco-based hookahs under the guise of herbal ones, the police took action. Faruqui and his companions were charged under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, in addition to IPC sections 283 (obstruction in public way), and 336 (endangering life or personal safety of others). Subsequently, notices were issued to Faruqui and the others by the Mata Ramabai Ambedkar Marg police, after which they were released.
Faruqui has been embroiled in controversy before, notably in 2021 when he was arrested for making insensitive remarks about Lord Ram during a stand-up comedy performance in Indore. Although initially detained, he secured bail a month later. A case was filed against him and four other members of his troupe under section 295-A for actions intended to outrage religious sentiments.
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