Ahmedabad Police raid spa in Vastrapur for alleged prostitution, 3 women rescued

The Ahmedabad Police on Friday raided a spa centre in the Vastrapur area and unearthed an alleged prostitution racket operating under the guise of massage services, officials said.

The raid was conducted at a spa located on the second floor of Himalaya Mall, following a tip-off that illegal activities were being carried out at the premises. Based on the complaint registered by a police sub-inspector of the Women Police Station West, a case was filed under relevant provisions of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.

According to police, the spa, allegedly run by Irshad S Syed (34), was found to be facilitating prostitution by bringing women from outside the state and offering them to customers for money.

Police said a decoy customer was sent to the premises to verify the information. Upon confirmation, a raiding team comprising police personnel and panch witnesses entered the spa and conducted a search.

During the raid, three women were found inside the spa, and a staff member identified as Sunny Santosh, a native of Uttar Pradesh, was present at the counter.

The women, hailing from different states including Mizoram, Delhi and Tripura, told police that they were engaged by the spa management and were paid approximately ₹1,000 per customer.

Officials said the spa had multiple rooms, including massage cabins and a staff room.

The owner, however, was not present during the raid and is currently absconding. Police said efforts are under way to trace him.

During the search, police seized a digital video recorder (DVR) and other electronic evidence.

A case has been registered against the accused under sections of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956. The rescued women have been sent for counselling and further procedures as per legal provisions.

Officials added that the investigation is ongoing to identify other persons involved in the racket and ascertain the extent of such operations in the area.