A day after the Mumbai police began a crackdown on illegal dance bars, the Thane Rural Police followed suit raiding four bars where girls were found to be performing. The bar owners were booked under the Maharashtra Prohibition of Obscene Dance in Bars and Hotels and Protection of Dignity of Women Act, 2016.
According to the police, the raids were conducted late on Friday based on specific information about girls dancing and patrons showering money on them, both of which are criminal acts under the new law, enacted in April to govern dance bars in the state after the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court instructed the state to begin granting licenses to dance bars.
“The raids were conducted at bars named Dhadkan , Big Boss , C-Magic and Viceroy bars in Mira Road-Bhayander. We first sent in our men to confirm whether bar girls were indeed dancing inside. They recorded the performances on video, based on which we conducted the raids,” SP (Thane Rural) Mahesh Patil said. He added that 16 girls were rescued from the bars and 60 accused including managers and staff were arrested and charged under the new law.
On Thursday night, the Social Service Branch of the Mumbai police had raided four bars in different areas of the city and had invoked the new act against them. The raids commenced hours after the police formally received a written copy of the new law.
The move is indicative of the increasing pressure on dance bars, even as the matter is being heard by the Supreme Court. More such raids are expected in the days to come and bar owners who have applied for new licenses will have to wait till June, when the courts reopen.
The new law has stringent guidelines and operating dance bars without licenses is punishable by five years’ jail or a fine of Rs 25 lakh, or both. The state government has warned the police that Senior PIs and DCPs will face action if such bars are found to be operating in their areas.
