Thane bar raided, two girls held for 'obscene gestures' - Indian Express

Even as controversy rages over the recent Supreme Court order allowing dance bars to reopen, the Thane Police Crime Branch raided a bar in Thane on Wednesday night and arrested two bar girls for allegedly "dancing with obscene expressions and gestures". Interestingly, the stricter Indian Penal Code has been applied in this case instead of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA).

According to Crime Branch officials, the raid was conducted late on Wednesday at the Honeycomb Bar in Majiwada, Thane. "We found that the bar girls were dancing to music with obscene expressions and gestures and arrested them as well as the 30 customers," said Sub-Inspector Abhijeet Bhujbal, Thane Crime Branch.

Asked why the IPC was invoked instead of the PITA, DCP (Thane Crime) Pravin Pawar said, "We arrested the girls because their actions fit into the parameters of Section 294 of the IPC (committing obscene acts or uttering obscene song, ballad or words in public places). Rescue applies in PITA cases. The girls were also at the bar long after the deadline of 9.30 pm. Women employees can only work in bars till the deadline. This is not the first time that we have taken action against the Honeycomb Bar."

Pawar added that there were seven to eight such girls but the others managed to escape. The bar owner and staff have also been arrested and the police found Rs 2.74 lakh in cash in the bar. All the accused were produced in the Metropolitan Magistrate's Court in Thane and granted bail.

Although the SC has allowed reopening of dance bars, they have to obtain necessary licenses from all agencies concerned before they can function again.

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