Disposed

M/s. Smoky Tales Cafe and Grill v. The State of Telangana

Telangana HC10 Oct 2025WP/16705/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

A hookah-serving cafe challenged police interference with its business under the COTPA Act 2003 as violative of Article 19(1)(g). Following earlier orders in similar matters, the court granted liberty to seek permission from respondent police, who were directed to decide strictly in accordance with law after following due procedure.

What did the court decide?

Liberty to petitioner to make representation for hookah permission; respondents directed to pass appropriate orders per law, following due procedure; miscellaneous applications closed; no costs.

M/s. Smoky Tales Cafe and Grill Vs… — Constitutional and Fundamental Rights | Telangana HC (2025)

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oF TELANGANA rN rHE HrGH ".rTIff$rtJilBt^TE (SPeciai^{OriginalJurisdiction)}

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FRIDAY,THE^{TENTH DAY OF OCTOBER} ' l[o iHousAND AND TwENTY FlvE

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PRESENT

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THE HONOURABLE^{SRIJUSTICEN.V'SHRAVAN KUMAR} WRIT PE^{TITIONNO:1670} 5 oF 2025

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Between:

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M/s smoky^{rares care. a$,f,J;"3,,H:?1rt} #,:l $.o rlii.'q.SY[!i? ',""'.tHl,H{i1[i#ffi Teldevari6allY,^ChandamP< ,tsk',ttti]is:li,:i'.,'.tzt8:'*"

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...PETITIONER

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AND

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The State^{of Telangana'.Rep by its Principal Secretary' Home Department'} ' idir"i"iLi euitdin{, HvderaSsloo, off ice.^{Lakd ikapoot, Hy-derabad,.}

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!ii:ix!,1f.'-Tdfl tHi$"i,"#r';1.:,ru1:i:"jan'::',3151'oo,* 4. The^{DePutYCommiss}

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r ?fr:E?;,gi^{House officer'Law and ordertvladhapurPolice station'} . ?il:"JelflX^{House officer, special operation ream (sor) Narsingi'} cYberabad

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"'RESP.NDENTS

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PetitionunderArticle226oftheConstitutionoflndiaprayingthatinthe circumstances^{stated in the affidavit filed therewith'the High Courtmay be} pleased to^{issue a writ more particularlyone in the nature of Mandamus'} declaring,^{the action of the respondentsmoreparticularly that of RespondentNos'} 5 and 6^{in interfering with the business activityof Petitionerbeing carriedout by} name and^{styleSMOKYTALES CAFE AND GRILL locatedin Plot No' '166 B'} Guttala Begumpet,^{Madhapur, Hyderabad' in serving flavored hookahs without} their being^{any contravention of COTP Act 2003 withoutreferenceto any rule'} regulations^{or law by the Respondents as illegal' arbitraryand in violativeof} Articles 19(1)(g)^{of the Constitution of lndia apartfrom being violation of} Principles^{of Natural Justice and consequently directthe Respondents Policeto}

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permit the petitioner to continue his business of serving fravored Hookahs in his cafe shop without any hindrance or restrictions in the interest of justice

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IA NO: 1 oF 2025

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Petition under section 151 cPC praying that in the ci.cumstances stated in the affidavit filed irr support of the petition, the High Courr may be pleased to direct the respondents more particurarry Respondents No. 5 and 6 not to interfere with the business cf the petitioner running on the name "sMoKy rALES cAFE AND GRILL" situatecJ at plot No. 166 B, Guttata Begumpet, Madhapur, Hyderabad

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IA NO: 2 oF 2025

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Petition under Section 15.1 CpC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased to direct the Respondents more particularly Respondent No.3 to consider the Petitioner's representation dated 23_0g_2025 pertaining to its business operations in its premises by name and style 'SN/OKY TALES CAFE and GR|LL,, situated at Plot No. 1668, Guttata B egumpet, [Vadhapur, Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy District in adherence to th e conditions stipulated by the Hon,ble Apex Court IA NO: 3 0F 2025

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Petition under Section 151 CpC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit fired in support of the petition, the High court may be preased to receive the additionar documents fired herein as part and p6169l of main writ Petition

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Counsel for the petitioner: SRl. BANDARU HIMA VARSHtNt

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Counsel forthe Respondents: AGp FOR HOME

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The Court made the following: ORDER

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I Ii I I i I I l I :

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THE HONOURABLE^{St(IJUSTICEN'V'SHRAVAN KUMAR} WRIT^{PETITION No.16705ot 2025}

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ORDER:

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Ileard^{learned counsel for tl'rc PCtitiollcl'antl lczrrtrccl Assistant} Covernment^{Pleatlerfor I'Iornc appc'rringtor respotlclcnt Nos lto 6 With}

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their consent^{this writ pctitionis takenup for disposal at ttrc nd'nission stage}

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itsclf

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This writ^{petitionis filed secking follon'ingpralrcr:-}

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''lo rlr,lnrt llu' nclon of tlt^{n';l'otrrltttl\Itnr,t'lttttlit-.t!lttt'lu Ilhtlol'} Rcspondetrt^{Nos 5 atd t in'i"rc)'i"g tlttlt tlttht'Lsi'ness ttliottrlof} Pct[tiortcr^{bei"g cnr"'i ou]" iy} nutl stllc^{" Sh'4oKl' fALE-s}

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CAFE^{AND GRILL"} '^t"nt'a'u' "u'u'i'^{Pbr No 166 ll' Gttttaln tscytntpct'} ii''ai''t':i'ia'b''1'":;;:-;is,l':;;:lr!:i,:,ii;,';','.lii''|,',,1!;l',i I'eittgl nny^{tonlrnpttlion ol lut I/\r r -uuJ' r.rrrv} ntttt rtie^{regttlntrottsoi tnri' t'y tlrRtsltttdtnt.sn' rllegtl' tbitnry} nn'rl in t'iolntiae^{o1 a'iii;)" istllfsl ttf the} .Cons.titutkn^{of lndit} tpttrt ',ii,i,irr,fi'''"ty frottt^t"i'g 'lirirt 'i"tiio'i^{tlrR'e't'oiulcttts ,ri'iii}atit.s Poli't o[ to 1'r'ntttt *"t.'.'.':' tln'P"titiotttr]rtsticc ntd trt cottthtue^{l'i' b"'i""'o1 [,l''i'lir g J]'n" t,'1llor'Arr/r.'-irrlis cnft' sltop}

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rcitlrcrrt^{ttrry ltin'1'nnc"or"est'i'tio'nsin tt,e itttrtst oi lLLsticc"}

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3, loday^{whcn the matter has been taken up[or-. hcarring'learncdcounsel} for: the^{petitionersubmits that in similalcircumstatrcethis Q(rurtin}

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W.P.No.15515of2025datedo4.og.2025,passec1thcfolltlwingclrc1cr:-

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,,7.At tttis stttge, it ts relezlttnt to reftr^{ttl tlrc parttgrnpltN::.,/,/1..} ordcr^{dtttetl 0s lz'z0zzpnss;eain W'bNo'ts944oi 2022 ud [ltsnnte} is er^I rnt^{lrd lPrer rndcr-}

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" 5. 7'here cannot^{be any cltspulett'ith regard to the /acL thut} itt a^publicpluctt

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police^{ha'r'e mu po-"' to} '"g'lotn "'oking in the^{mannerspn'"{;"-a o'i'o'iacdundcrSt,ctittttsI & l2} of'the Act'^t' 'o* casLs' lhe^ottncrs -of -llrc reslaLo-anlsthcv ii,l:n"r:'c li'utn^G1IMC' ,T'hough

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contend^that 'nny"io" o Vnn'^{GHl"tC' Itlt.itnot(ltrts ncr rhc} hot''' o trale """'' l'ontr^{con lirrcd'} 'iti''^{'l''i" i'} and^rltc mo.iitor'^{rts1"'ctit'i l''urrhJ' p"lit-t}

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tt]n htttc^{nn *'"tti'i'ir1'ri} '"g"t;''" of cigarclte llrc object^{tt1 tnc )a} ""'n)ti'^{is- to prrtltibit} .cttnsump.lion antl othcr^{k'bn'"o p''d'L's-*hich trre injtriorts to hcalth}

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att.d in tlut largcr intcre.st o.[ intproving the public Lt:ttltlt, us pcr .lrttclc 47 of thc Oon.stiturion ol iiaio ,rnnn i,,ri, ,r,rn rh. tlrtr |f thc Srtt,, rn n, .. 1..otecl the public hcalth. ,,t i.y rtl.so (,,t),\c,.1,c,7 tLtt nnJt,,f tltc reslaurant.s ,hich obtctinttl trttcle li, , rt., :oI t/t,, 1,111p6j" ol t.tttllt .q fl t.t.\tttut.att! t)t. t ttlt,t,,rt(r arc t onrartin.q tlrc sanrc u:to hookah po ottr.s .fbr ,..,'u,,i,,rg hooktlt L:cntrt,,s. ,1s pcr Scctkn Lj,i" ,.ir,,,''r,' ,,,')ri,rr,r, 1tkrct^i.r rt:tlttit etl to bc ntttirtkLirtcrt .'1ir, ,r,rtorirr,,,tr'.,r:hfrh lrutr tht topacit.t. r-t/ 30 sattt.s, thrrt rysc, /acto,,r),'ii ,r,r"g,r" ttnt.^,t.qltl to th( t (stouftntt ot1:ncrs lo rtut tlr ltoo/,ttlt ltttrlottt^.s .,lt.tlyc plucc of'sntokirtg, ",r""1r,^{,,r,oirr,,r,l. ,,;'-;,;;)rr,,} .;crtit:c.:hall bc ullot:ad ant! f basing o,, ,lrni,",,*ir'r,,r,,, ,Jfttttt,l frtr o. t.?sltttranl, lht,y, aty2 i,rtr, , urr,ri,,.g nnu,iut, <:entt.(s, //1c luthot.itias lm.tz o right to ccrncel tt,i lir,",,ilr" Jnvur',ul t. tlrc ytlicc lttn.a tct jtat,c con.ttant ,i,rl,r..i )ra cotttntl t hc:tlutr. tlrc conccrnti o t_a .[oltor,,ittl ti,,-r,.,.','irir,',,,, , / rtt, l, t tt,tl tlt,. ll,lt.s a,J nt,"ltl,,.r tl,,.j n',:"',1 , ,;,",'r;i; .\l{tlrttt)tl ttrtt! lticloriul waning noticcs. As pn, S"r,,,,io:iii t: t:! tltt .t()7p .t(t. tltt S\tlic2 not bclott, ,t,[ ,r,ri-,,i'iut, t.\l',', lt,t t)t. tu\ ()lli(cr o/ Sttrtr l:o,d ot ltrjttrt I t I r t rⁱ t t ' , I t , r t t , t t t uI nut. otltt,t Lttficcr. ltohlittg ,t," ",,,,,r',,'1,",1, .ttuk l;tirtg ,ot bt,lort.ttu,ra,tij;,,1 S,,h l,;,r;;;;,','j,' ,i ,'riir, tttttltot i.sai bt, thc L.crrrrol (]ot',crnrnertt^' .,. ir, -ltrr "i),'r" Ltt'. ntDt( 1 C,t i sD.:,:t ,tttt ttL't r t, ^- L . . Luutt . t/ /,r atr, ,. dit *...t t.cltott building. Ji.ont this Court In vietr of tht, .,r.t surna,lhL: r.(,sJ)o il(tlts not ro t,isit hookalt cintrei:s olitrn-)"'t',io,:uo,"' t, Itus t:orrc to light thrt unclc, tltc guise ofio'":;r';;;,;r:,r:,,'; ;,, sott('(.1r\c.,i. th(r (rr(.qcltitlg lhc cusbntcrs u""a io tt," o,it,", tlarcoti.: drtrgs ll.t,r,rt.n tlurt grouncl also, thcre rtro,,i)'i,, ,i-o,rt,r,,,, .ytLry'c,i/lortct, ond ch<t:li. by the policc. I.tr"rc ,tr'urbt tt( tt,t, .''ttltt ..t /t.uut tltc tc:;p,uttl.ttt /tlicc ttlt,r,. tlt,t cart_ouf t irttcrJcrc in /hc busirtcss utlrut ilrcre i, ,, ,,,n,,r,,)',.,, rirtlatio,t ctr art.y, irtcitlcnts tktl arc ,u,r,r,.o,-y in';,:":,',i ttrkirt: S,latL. irr tltt..:Lti,l nrr,r, ,t. t i.tc:, but unLJat.thc qtri.ra ol it utt /'t'1t t, lu.\l ltl,c tltat (.onltrt horast thc pat..rott., .,r1, , a,.,, ,ttttnirtg tly,: luxtl,ult t:ctttres. y th"rn u ir,ry'irirt,'tr,,',riii oL tio11 ,,,1 tttt' ltr, | (tl thc olfic,.r. tltc sntttt, *i, t "i,lo,)r' i)' ,),', ,,.,., ., ,,^,, n o/ .tltt .ltighcr t ttlrcritics ond tlr it,gltc,. 1,,-,,1,,,,,',,^{.'.,hrrllr.,t1,,., tppr.oltrirr t t, action.Tht, p,.,i,,)rl} .SnAll ' tu-DlL li L.tltt,tit..,ly a sr. cnctt.tsut a . ir.r ttrc hoter pt ",,,!::::':,:;::'lo,,rXll"j,,.l',,'tli 1t,tr^{riott tl} tltr' 1t1.,'1111.1,.r .,h,t11 bc ,.sd by thc rr,.r,u,,,") ,i,f lltt'1'c,111-,,,,,,,,,,,--''tlt.,/tin8ll,,6|a11,.,,

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8 It is dso rclet,turt kt rcfcr to tle conurnrt ordcr rlntetl 15.11.2023 plssed itr l /.p.Nos.Bi23 of 2013 and l1nt.l;, relcttunt ltot'lrott^t' r.\ttttt tt.tl lh.tt,11dcr.-

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',' j.,.!.:r:_,,,^{, rh,I lrd, r,rt,ttd} Citt, I'oti..c A, t, tj,t,s l,u.rli ,,,,11,,., p.ort(r oyt.t- !hc ottlusanrcn! (,.ntrc,/rcsldura,ri, .,l,,,lirirtrt )', " 'r:,:,,

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d, lirtc,l ,, l,rrl,lr, /tl,rt.t, trntlct. th,. COn, Aci o,,,;',',', lltrlt J ,,1 .1,,. l,r,,trii.,iri,,rt ot S,toliittl i,, p',it,tii'i,i,r)',j'n,ll, 20()8 pcrtuissi.n is requirul rpi,Oir;^";,;;;;;,;; "r',',';,"

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rtlrtain Therclbrc, llccessat))^{to est(tblish pcrntlssion Jrom. hrtolcah centrcs' lte} .con,cernetl^{the pc'titiolrcrs shall} ttuthoril\t i,7,,'tii,"',)^,t,," ,',j*iiions^{ofrhc cirv P''tli''c Acr "}

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9 Httt,ittl^{tottsidcrctltlp ohot'cfrt'ls nndtirrttntslnnccsnttd ta'ot'ltttg} ;;'l;;,,;i,':;;;'"nmd|^{hr1rto t'l"i'l"e'1rir/rttst'/ntr tttlt|r sidt'ttrt' tInt} nr'titiott rs^{tltsposctl of gt tt'ntitrg liltcrtV t,o P'titil',':: totnnkt} Poti"'^{set,ki., g pernrissionto serll} ',lj"ilirirl,r,",^,r'^u:eiu'"tt"' '"ipo"'l"iL ',',t ,",11,',',', ti,i,i,'"i'rtn't in rlti't t'li'r n1 o"1" 'l'tttrl^{08 1)'20)) p'r'td ut} W.l.No.^{I ;944 ol 20)) nn'l} 'ui"""ni^{orthtlttlt'd li'lt2U).\ /'rI<t'IIrr/} W.P.Nos.8223^{of 20-13, tespontlentttlrtlnritics nrc directti to pttss} '")io;,,)),,i,,;,',i;,,a;i, .rzttiL frr I/tc ltctitiotu'r' ",",,1a,-i';.,';;'*:',;',,,:,:;!;,1:';l,i,l.',i,',',','"'i,,li,liii,',li,','ii,^{lt rs ntt} 'r','rr,' o'1',,,ir^,r,i ,,itl''^{u'''it' of ttn} '"sc'^{it is 'ltn' tlrc res1tondenlurlloritir's} ltt Ittl\s^{ttlft.ol'tinltonlcrs} 'nl '""'''^{"'o 'slriLlly tttttc'cotitttttctt'illt} /ari'. N,,',/i,''s^{to stly llutl ll"c l':s1'ottltt't'tttllniili.t' sltrll li'llo.dtu'} lu'u l"'fort^{ittilt'ttittgttt]tl !ttlitttl} I'nttr(lt!t.t'^{,t;tottlrtttplol l''''i'i'} rrg'rtrrsl^t/lc lt''^{ti t ioner'"}

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.i Leirrtrctl^{counselfor thc petitioner further pray this Court to pass} sirnilat^{orcler..sas passedin W P No'15515 of 2025 clatetl 04 09-2025'}

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Learnccl^{Assistant GovernmentPleaclerforI lome appearingfor} responLlcnts^{did r-rot dispute the same'}

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Ilt'cording^{the submissionmade bv thc leanretl coutrstl appearing on} cithc,r^{sicle ancl in terrns of orders passerr in w.I'.No.15515of 2025 rlated} 04.09.2025,^{this r't'rit pctition is disposed of granting libertv to pc-titionertcr} make^{representationbeforethe respondent Police' seekingprermission to} servc^{lrookahat his cafe anr-lin the lightof orclerclatccl 08 '12'2022passccl in} W.P.No.15944^{of2022 ancl common orclerciated 15'112023 passetl in} W.l'.Nos.U223^{of 2013,respondentauthoriticsare- directeclto pass aPProPriate} orders^{strictly ilr accordancewith law andcon-tmunicatethc same to the} petitioner.^{It is Lnaclc clearthat this Court hacl not exprcssedany opinionon} thc rnerits^{of thecase, rt is for thc responclcrlt aLlthoriticsto passapProPriate} orclers^{for permissionstrictly in accorclancelt'ith larr' Neecllessto sa1 thai lhe}

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respolldcri a'trro'ities sha' forow cluc procedure as co.relnprateil u.c1er law befole initiatir.r;-; artv action against the pctitioner.

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T Acc.rdrrgll', this *,rit petitiorl is disposetl of. N4isr ella^corrs 'rpplications,^{ir .rnrporrcrinll,srral stancr closed.} I'rrcre sh,r, bc n. orrrcr as kr costs

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SD/. K. BHAVANI SWAMY ASSISTANT REGISTRAR

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