HC asks Maha if GR issued on police procedure to raid hotels

Hearing a petition against police raids on hotels in suburban Malwani last year to expose an alleged prostitution racket operating in the area, the Bombay High Court today asked the Maharashtra government whether it had issued any guidelines on such raids.
A division bench headed by Justice V M Kanade asked Chief Public Prosecutor Sandeep Shinde to appear on March 10 to give information about any Government Resolution (GR) issued in this regard.
The bench also asked petitioner Sumeer Sabharwal to file a reply to the second affidavit filed by police on conducting raids at hotels in suburban Malwani in Malad area of North Mumbai.

The judges also asked Sabharwal, a Khar resident, to file written submissions and offer suggestions on procedures to be followed by police in such cases.
On August 6, 2015, police had cracked down on hotels and bars in Malwani area and imposed fine on several couples on charges of indecency.
The petition had termed the raids as "illegal, intrusive and unconstitutional" and sought action against police officials involved.
The high court had earlier said that while there was a laudable intention behind police raids on hotels in Malwani following complaints of an alleged prostitution racket operating there, innocent persons cannot be harassed and their privacy should not be invaded.

The Maharashtra government had taken a stand that police received complaints from local MLAs and residents that hotels in the area were being used to run prostitution racket and hence they conducted raids on hotels.