Virat Kohli’s restaurant in Bengaluru booked over the missing smoking zone.
The Bengaluru police have lodged an FIR against the manager and staff of One8 Commune, a pub and restaurant co-owned by cricketer Virat Kohli, for violating the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA).
The allegations pertain to the lack of a designated smoking area as mandated by law.
During a routine patrol on May 29, police officers inspected the One8 Commune located on Kasturba Road and found the absence of the required smoking zone within the premises.
An officer’s complaint led to a case being filed on May 31 at the Cubbon Park police station.
The charges are based on sections 4 (prohibition of smoking in a public place) and 21 (punishment for smoking in certain areas) of the COTPA, as explained by a senior police official.
This action forms part of a broader initiative by the Bengaluru police to curb smoking-related offenses.
It is necessary to mention here that in July last year, One8 Commune’s manager and managers from four other venues faced FIRs for reportedly operating beyond permitted hours.
The special drive back then was prompted by complaints about several restaurants and pubs in central Bengaluru remaining open past the official closing time of 1 a.m.
