The Central Crime Branch (CCB) raided a bar in Bengaluru’s Domlur, and arrested 53 people, including two managers and a cashier. The CCB also rescued 74 women who were allegedly being forced to dance at the bar.
On Friday, CCB officials conducted a raid at on Chef Regency Inn located in Domlur. They reportedly recovered Rs 1.04 lakh in cash and rescued 74 women, who were illegally employed by the management. The women were allegedly being used to entertain customers who visited the bar.
Customers were allegedly allowed to shower the women with money, and even dance with them if they paid more.
“The accused employed the women to entertain clients who visited the bar. Customers were allowed to shower money on them while they danced. Those who paid more were allowed to dance with them,” a senior police officer told The Hindu.
The raid was conducted as part of a drive conducted by Police Commissioner Alok Kumar, who has been looking to weed out restaurants and pubs in the city, which are attempting to bypass the law. He had given specific orders that action be taken against illegal activities, including gambling, dance bars and illegal chit funds.
According to reports, the women, some of whom were locals while others were from other states, were lured with the promise of good jobs, and that they were being forced to dance in order to attract more customers to the establishment.
The main accused have been identified as Dinesh P (42), Dinesh Kumar (41), Riyazuddin (52), Prakash Dutt Joshi (23), and Hegya Raj Joshi (23).
The operation had been carried out under the direction of Joint Police Commissioner B Ravikanthe Gowda.
Earlier in June, in a similar case, 266 women were rescued from a dance bar, which had been running in the city illegally. In connection with this, 237 people, including almost 200 customers and 44 workers of the dance bar, had been arrested at the time.