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Sex racket busted in Surat hotel, 13 Thai women rescued, 9 arrested
Police suspect that the rescued women had entered India on tourist visas and remained for involvement in immoral trafficking.
Thirteen women, all Thai nationals, were rescued by Surat’s Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) during a late-night raid on a hotel in Jahangirpura on Saturday.
Nine people, including five clients and four hotel staff, were arrested in connection with the racket, which was operating from a commercial complex, The Times of India reported.
The raid began late Saturday night when the AHTU team, acting on a tip-off about a prostitution racket, reached the fourth floor of the hotel in Jahangirpura. They found the door locked from inside and, acting on verified intelligence, broke it open to catch the accused red-handed, the report added.
Among the people arrested were hotel managers Rupesh Mishra alias Maxi and Bipin Babariya alias Bunty, housekeeping staff Sanjay Hingade and Rahul Solanki, and five clients.
Investigations revealed that the racket was masterminded by Vijay Kasture, a wanted accused who had been arrested from the same hotel six months ago but resumed operations after securing bail.
Police said Kasture circulated photos of the Thai women to clients, while Mishra and Babariya admitted customers only after his approval. A QR code linked to Yogesh Talekar’s bank account, allegedly used for digital payments by clients, was also recovered.
Police identified another manager, Ganpat Yadav, and a driver, Ashok Mama, who allegedly ferried the women to and from the hotel, though both are yet to be arrested.
Eight mobile phones, cash, condoms, and other incriminating items were seized. All accused have been booked under the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, and Jahangirpura police continue the investigation.
During questioning, the rescued women failed to produce physical passports and showed only digital copies stored on their phones. They claimed the originals were “kept at home.”
Police suspect that most of the women had entered India on tourist visas and remained for involvement in immoral trafficking. Authorities are verifying their documents and will inform the Thai embassy if any violations are confirmed.
