Jaipur | Thursday, January 29, 2026
Rajasthan Home State Minister Jawahar Singh Bedham on Thursday said the state government is carrying out sustained and strict action against illegal hookah bars and substance abuse, resulting in a significant decline in such cases during 2024 and 2025.
Replying to supplementary questions during Question Hour in the state Assembly, the minister said a Special Task Force (STF) has been constituted to curb drug abuse and prevent the operation of illegal hookah bars across the state.
He said police are taking continuous action against hookah bar operators under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA). Action is also being initiated against owners of premises where illegal hookah bars are found operating. Those involved in such activities are being detained and proceeded against strictly in accordance with the law, he added.
The minister informed the House that cases related to hookah bars and other illegal activities were at their peak earlier, with 55,326 cases reported in 2022 and 25,885 cases in 2023. However, due to intensified enforcement by the police during the current government’s tenure, the number of such cases declined to 12,598 in 2024 and 2025.
In a written reply to the main question raised by MLA Ram Sahai Verma, Bedham said that in Tonk district, police carried out five actions against illegal hookah bars between January 1, 2023 and December 3, 2025. In four of these cases, action was also taken against the owners of the premises.
He further stated that during the same period, police in Tonk issued challans to 284 individuals under the COTPA Act and imposed penalties as per rules, while cases were registered against eight persons. Detailed information regarding locations, seized material and arrests was placed on the table of the House.
