Prostitution racket busted by Noida Police, seven women rescued

The hotel where the raid was carried out is a three-storey building in a residential area with three rooms on each floor, said police officers

Seven women were rescued and four men were arrested after the Gautam Budh Nagar police busted a prostitution racket on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.

The suspects were produced before a magistrate and sent to judicial custody, said officers.

According to Harish Chander, deputy commissioner of police (Noida), a raid was carried out by a team from Sector 39 police station and the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) at 1 am on Thursday.

“We received a tip-off last night about illegal activities taking place at a hotel in Sector 41 after which a police team carried out a raid at the location and found seven women and four men here. A number of objectionable items, along with incriminating evidence, were recovered from the spot and the four men were arrested while the seven women were rescued,” said Chander.

The suspects were identified as Gajendra Kumar (hotel manager), hotels staff persons Alok Kumar Singh and Praveen Singh, and Dharmendra Kumar Singh, who was a customer at the hotel, said officials.

“A first information report (FIR) was registered under relevant sections of The Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act against the four suspects. As many as 14 mobile phones, a Paytm scanner and ₹1,900 cash, among other items, were recovered from their possession. Two more people involved in the case – Sahil and his wife Shivani (only first names known to police) – are on the run. Sahil took the hotel on rent 20 days ago,” said Rajneesh Verma, assistant commissioner of police-1, Noida.

The hotel where the raid was carried out is a three-storey building in a residential area with three rooms on each floor, he added. “During the raid, the seven women were found in one room. The photographs of these women were shared with clients over WhatsApp and after the deal was done, they were called to the hotel. The racket was operating for the past 20 days and had been serving clients every day, according to the initial inquiry. The exact number of clients that have come to the hotel since the racket started is under investigation,” said Verma.

Of the seven women, four are residents of Delhi while three others are from Noida, he added. “The building was rented out to suspect Sahil 20 days ago for ₹70,000. He and his wife were running the prostitution racket. The women were contacted by them and lured into prostitution after being promised ₹4,000- ₹6,000 per client, but actually were forced to work for as low as ₹500,” said Verma.

He said the women were called to the hotel at 3 pm every day and sent back home at 2am.

“All of the women were in touch with Sahil. Teams have been sent to catch him and his wife Shivani,” said the officer.

After the raid, the women were taken to the One Stop Centre in Phase-1, Noida where they were given shelter. “Their women are being returned to their family,” said Verma.

The suspects were produced before a magistrate and sent to judicial custody, said officers.