Raid at 4 illegal dance bars in Mumbai, 60 rescued, 80 held

Mumbai: Four dance bars allegedly being run without permission were raided by Mumbai police and 62 women rescued from there, while 80 people were arrested, police said on Friday.

The Social Service Branch (SSB) of police conducted the raids at two bars in South Mumbai, one at Andheri in western suburb and Ghatkopar in eastern suburb, they said. The raids, which started last evening, continued till the early hours on Friday.

As many as 80 people, including some customers and staff of the bar, were 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 arrested 14 people from a bar at DB Marg in South Mumbai and rescued 12 women from there, as many as 22 people were arrested from another bar in Andheri and 17 women rescued, police said.

During the raid at bar in Ghatkopar, the SSB sleuths arrested 19 people and rescued 27 women. Besides, in a joint action by the Nagpada police and SSB, 25 people were arrested from a bar in South Mumbai and six women rescued from there late last night, police said.

All the accused were arrested under the provisions of the Maharashtra Prohibition of Obscene Dance in Hotels, Restaurants and Bar Rooms and Protection of Dignity of Women Act 2016, police said. As per the new law, the accused can be sentenced to five years imprisonment and fined up to Rs 25 lakh, police said.

Notably, the Mumbai Police had recently issued license to two dance bars, as the per the new guidelines laid down by the Maharashtra government. Prior to that, the Supreme Court had directed the state government to grant licenses to eight dance bars within two days. Court 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 kilometers  from any education or religious institution, their timings restricted between 6 PM and 11.30 PM, and liquor is not to be served in the performance area.