Maharashtra: Raids conducted at four dance bars in Mumbai; 60 women rescued, 75 booked

Less than two weeks after the Supreme Court directed the Maharashtra government to grant licenses to eight dance bars, Mumbai police on Thursday night conducted raids on four bars and rescued 60 women.

According to ANI, Social Service Branch of Mumbai police conducted raids at four dance bars, in which 60 women were rescued. As many as 80 people, including some customers and staff of the bar, were also arrested following the raids. They would be produced in a court on Friday where police would seek their remand.

The women rescued from the four bars were later let off. The police said that the action was taken under Maharashtra Prohibition of obscene dance in hotels, bar rooms and protection of dignity of women act, 2016.

The police arrested 14 people from a bar at DB Marg in South Mumbai and rescued 12 women from there, while as many as 22 people were arrested from another bar in Andheri and 17 women rescued, police said. During the raid at a bar in Ghatkopar, the SSB sleuths arrested 19 people and rescued 27 women.

Recently, Mumbai Police issued licences to two dance bars as the per the new guidelines laid down by the Maharashtra government.

Licences were issued to Raj Naik of Sai Prasad Bar at Andheri and Bharat Thakur of Indiyana Bar at Tardeo.

The Supreme Court had directed the state government to grant licences to eight dance bars and asked the owners to give an undertaking that they would not engage employees with criminal antecedents near the dance area.

According to the new conditions, dance bars must be at least a kilometre away from any education or religious institution, their timings restricted between 6 pm and 11.30 pm, and liquor not to be served in the performance area.