Pune: In a major crackdown, Baner Police in Pune uncovered a sex racket operating under the facade of a massage centre on May 8. The illegal operation was being run at Vedha Thai Spa, located near Kotak Mahindra Bank, SigneT Corner, Balewadi Phata in Baner.
Acting on a tip-off, police carried out a sting operation using a decoy customer to confirm suspicions. Upon verification, a raid was conducted, and the spa manager, 22-year-old Mohimmuddin Ahmed Ali, was taken into custody. An FIR (CR No. 85/2025) was filed at Baner Police Station under relevant sections of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 (Sections 3, 4, and 5), as well as Sections 143 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Investigations revealed that three women were coerced into sex work under the guise of spa employment, lured by false promises of high earnings. Authorities also discovered that the property owner was complicit, having knowingly permitted the premises to be used for prostitution and profited from the illegal operation.
Police have reiterated their commitment to taking strict action not only against those directly involved in such rackets but also against individuals or landlords who knowingly rent out spaces for illegal activities.
