Sector 18 prostitution ring: Cops asks district admin to seal spa

Noida: The Noida police have written to the district administration to seal a spa in Sector 18 from where a prostitution ring was allegedly running

Noida: The Noida police have written to the district administration to seal a spa in Sector 18 from where a prostitution ring was allegedly running.

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According to the police, 12 spas in a mall in Sector 18 were raided on Wednesday following tip-offs, of which one was found to be allegedly engaged in nefarious activities. Police said three customers were allegedly found in compromising positions at the spa, and were arrested along with the spa manager by the Sector 20 police. The Delhi-based owner of the establishment has also been booked and is on the run at the moment.

Police officers said 14 women were rescued from the spa who alleged that they were being forced to provide illegal services to customers. Eight cell phones, cash and used contraceptives were recovered from the spot.

“Most of these women are from Nepal and the north-east who have been living in the city for years now. When questioned, they said they were being forced to work there. They were sent to a women’s shelter for rehabilitation,” said deputy commissioner of police, Zone 1, Rajesh S.

Officers said Noida police is not taking action against the women. They added that the police had used decoys posing as customers to bust the operation.

The DCP said that the department has sent a letter to the district administration to seal the spa and take further action, while notices will be issued to the other spas as well.

“We are yet to receive the letter but once we do, necessary action will be taken,” said city magistrate Umashankar Singh.

Officials said that unlike Delhi, there are no provisions to recall licenses of running spa centres in Noida. A senior police official said that most of the spas operating in the city are running illegally.

“Our teams had raided six-seven other places last week following tip-offs but no evidence of nefarious activities was found at the time, because of which action could not be taken,” said the official, asking not to be identified.

Officers said that the spas have been operational since 2005 and are now under police radar.

“We have identified a few places in Sector 18, a couple of city malls in Sector 51, among others, and are building teams for raids. Work is being done to monitor the online presence of such establishments as well,” said the DCP.

Police said they suspect more than 70 illegal spas are operational in the city area.

Three spas in Sector 18 were sealed in July 2019 after a sex racket was busted, in which 35 people – 25 women and 10 men, including foreign nationals – were arrested by the Noida police. Police said that one of them continues to remain sealed while two have resumed operations after taking stay orders from the High Court.