Overview
- Separate police raids took place in Mumbai and Patna this week and officials said on Friday that several women were rescued and suspected facilitators were detained or arrested.
- In Mumbai the anti-human trafficking cell used a decoy customer to verify activity before raiding a Girgaon luxury hotel and rescued two actresses while arresting a make-up artist who is accused of acting as an agent.
- Patna police raided a hotel near Gandhi Maidan, rescued 10 women, detained one man for questioning and placed the women in protective custody as investigators probe their origins.
- Officers in both cities seized mobile phones, electronic devices, guest registers, CCTV footage and documents that are now being forensically examined to trace financial links and identify other members of the alleged networks.
- Investigations are active and will focus on determining whether the women were coerced or trafficked, whether hotel staff knew of the activity, and what further arrests or legal action follow from the digital and documentary evidence.