The Bombay High Court (HC) has clarified that serving herbal or tobacco-free hookahs is permissible, allowing a plea by 12 owners of hookah bars to operate their businesses without constant police raids and threats of shutdown when they broke no law.

However, there must be no violation of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 (COTPA).

The court reiterated its 2019 order allowing herbal hookahs and directed the state to act strictly in accordance with the law.

The restaurant owners had moved the Bombay HC against visits by police officers without notice, who they said threatened to shut down their businesses, asking them to stop serving herbal hookah.

The petitioners include owners and operators of Ustaadi at Crawford Market, The Nest in Bandra, Rustico in Fort, and Faha

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