The Pune city police on Saturday busted a sex racket allegedly operating under the guise of a spa in the Viman Nagar area, officials said.
Acting on a tip-off, a team led by sub-inspector Nitin Rathod of Vimantal police station raided the Signature Thai Spa, located in a semi-detached house near Datta Mandir Chowk in Viman Nagar, around 4.15 pm, officials said.
Police said they rescued five women from the spa during the raid. Women who come from Uttar Pradesh, Bombayetc DelhiThey were allegedly lured into the flesh trade and, according to police, worked at the spa for the past few months.
Signature Thai Spa, located in a terraced house near Datta Mandir Chowk in Viman Nagar.
Police have arrested the spa operator, Mehboob Khan Lashkar, 28, a native of Assam, under section 143 (3) (trafficking in persons) of Bharatiya Nyata Sanhita and sections 3, 4, 5 and 7 of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act at Vimantal police station.
Sub-inspector Rathod said cash, two point-of-sale machines, spa bill books, condoms and other items, worth a total of Rs 38,475, were seized during the raid.
“The operator of the spa has been arrested. An investigation so far has revealed that the accused used online or social media platforms to contact clients for prostitution at the spa. Further investigation is underway,” said Govind Jadhav, senior police inspector at Vimantal police station.