Daily News & Analysis
Mumbai, March 4: A special police team, led by Joint Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) Arup Patnaik, has raided two ladies bars — Commander at Chembur and Natraj at Ghatkopar (east) — and rescued 50 girls in the early hours of Friday.
At least 86 customers and 49 ladies bar employees have been arrested from both the bars. Patnaik said a search was on to nab Jitendra Singh Thakur (owner of Natraj Bar) and Mannan Khan (owner of Commander Bar). “Thakur has five more beer bars in Mumbai, including Indiana at Tardeo. Thakur had also underworld connection,” said Patnaik.
Patnaik along with four DCPs — SE Shinde, Manoj Lohia, Sanjay Aparanti and RN Tadvi and two companies of State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) raided the Commander Bar at around 2pm where they rescued 31 girls and arrested 36 customers and 27 bar employees. Later, they raided Natraj Bar, bang opposite Rajawadi police chowky and rescued 19 girls (aged between 18 and 21 years).
Patnaik said, “The Natraj bar looked like it was under construction from outside. When we entered, we were shocked to see a big common room which can accommodate 50 customers while the VIP room on the first floor could accommodate at least 18 customers. When they got information that we were raiding, the bar employees switched off lights and confined the bar girls in a small room from where we rescued them. We also seized liquor stocks.”
Patnaik said these two bars operate between 2 am and 5 am and they knew that after 1.30am, the policemen would be relaxing. Home Department sources said that Additional CP (North East region) Gulabrao Pol and DCP ( Zone-VI) Sanjay Mohite had to face music because the ladies were operating bars even after it was banned by the state government on August 15, 2005.
Asked if he planned to take action against officers of Chembur and Tilak Nagar police stations, Arup Patnaik said, “I have sent a detailed report to Police Commissioner AN Roy. Those responsible will have to face the music and stern action will be taken against the guilty.”