Ghaziabad Police Cracks Down on Sex Racket Operating from Mahagun Sarovar Portico Hotel
In a significant operation, Ghaziabad police on Wednesday busted a sex racket that was being run from the Mahagun Sarovar Portico hotel located in Vaishali's Sector 3. The raid led to the arrest of three individuals and the rescue of 11 women who were allegedly forced into sex work. The police action was based on a tip-off received by ACP Indirapuram Abhishek Srivastava, prompting a swift response from the Kaushambi police station team.
Arrests and Charges in the Sex Racket Case
The arrested accused have been identified as Rahul Sharma (46), the hotel manager and alleged mastermind of the racket, Sunil Singh (39), a waiter employed at the hotel, and Ankit Chauhan (19). They have been booked under relevant sections of the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, 1956. Following their arrest, all three were produced in court and subsequently sent to judicial custody. Police officials have revealed that four other persons—Sumit, Rahul, Nirdosh, and Afzal—who are believed to be involved in the racket, are currently absconding.
Details of the Police Raid and Rescue Operation
The police raid was conducted around 2 pm at the Mahagun Sarovar Portico hotel. During the operation, authorities rescued 11 women, all aged between 21 and 31 years. These women hail from various states including Gujarat, Delhi, West Bengal, and Odisha. In addition to the rescue, police recovered one packet of marijuana, some hashish, and other objectionable items from the possession of the accused. The investigation has uncovered that the racket was operated using modern technology, with rooms booked online and communication facilitated through WhatsApp.
Modus Operandi and Interrogation Findings
During interrogation, the rescued women disclosed that Rahul Sharma lured them to the hotel under the false pretext of employment opportunities and then coerced them into sex work. According to ACP Abhishek Srivastava, "Rahul allegedly charged customers between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 for services and paid each woman approximately Rs 5,000 per night." Some of the women also reported that foreigners visited the hotel as sex workers. The manager, Rahul Sharma, further revealed that he used to send photos of the women to customers via WhatsApp, after which they would come to the hotel. On other occasions, the women were taken to different hotels with customers.
Evidence Collected and Ongoing Investigation
Police have seized crucial evidence from Rahul Sharma's phone, including more than 500 photos of the women and over 100 contact numbers of customers. This digital evidence is expected to play a key role in the ongoing investigation. Senior executives from the Mahagun Sarovar Portico hotel were not available for comment when approached by authorities. The police are continuing their efforts to track down the absconding suspects and gather more information to dismantle the entire network involved in this illicit operation.
