Rajkot AHTU rescues 4 women in raids on fake marriage bureau, spa
Synopsis
Rajkot's Anti-Human Trafficking Unit busted two prostitution fronts on the same day — a marriage bureau and a wellness spa — rescuing four women and seizing cash, phones, and contraceptives. The coordinated sting, using decoy customers and independent witnesses, signals a sharper enforcement focus on commercial-cover trafficking in Gujarat's urban centres.
Key Takeaways
Rajkot AHTU rescued four women in raids on 26 October 2026 on two premises in A-Division police station limits.
The first raid targeted a premises at Gururaksha Complex, Virani Chowk operating as a marriage bureau front; one woman was rescued and ₹8,800 worth of items seized.
The second raid on Florence Wellness Spa, Cosmo Complex, Kalawad Road rescued three women and led to seizure of property worth ₹17,210 .
Accused include Jayashriben alias Minaben, 51 , Meet Pujara, 22 (first case), and Ganesh Meena, 23 (second case).
Cases registered under Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 in both instances.
Decoy customers and independent witnesses were deployed in both operations to build prosecutable evidence.
The Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of Rajkot City Police rescued four women on 26 October 2026 during coordinated raids on two premises in the city allegedly operating as a front marriage bureau and a wellness spa to facilitate prostitution. Cases have been registered under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, police confirmed on Tuesday.
First Raid: Marriage Bureau Front at Gururaksha Complex
The AHTU team targeted an office at No. 207, Gururaksha Complex, near Virani Chowk, under the jurisdiction of A-Division police station. Acting on credible intelligence that the premises were being used for prostitution under the cover of a marriage bureau, officers deployed a decoy customer and summoned two independent witnesses before entering.
According to police, the operators allegedly sourced women from outside the city and arranged clients in exchange for money. The bureau reportedly charged each customer ₹1,000 before directing them to a separate room within the premises for sexual services. One woman was rescued from the location.
Police found Jayashriben alias Minaben, 51, and Meet Pujara, 22 — both residents of Sharda Apartment, Block B/2, Kothariya Road, Rajkot — at the premises. Items seized included ₹3,400 in cash, 20 packets of condoms valued at ₹400, torn condom wrappers, and a mobile phone worth ₹5,000, placing the total seized property value at ₹8,800. A case was registered against the accused under Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.
Second Raid: Florence Wellness Spa on Kalawad Road
In the second operation, the AHTU team raided Florence Wellness Spa at Office No. 501, Cosmo Complex, Mahila College Chowk, Kalawad Road — also within A-Division limits. The spa was allegedly facilitating prostitution under the guise of massage services.
The team again used a decoy customer and two independent witnesses. Customers were reportedly charged an entry fee of ₹1,000, followed by an additional ₹2,500 per client for what the operator allegedly described as an 'extra service.' Police seized ₹7,210 in cash and two mobile phones valued at ₹10,000, with total seized property amounting to ₹17,210.
Three women were rescued from the spa. A case was registered against Ganesh Meena, 23, a spa employee and resident of Ghatiphala Sasai, Post Nathara, Udaipur district, Rajasthan, under the same sections of the Act.
Legal Action and Context
Police confirmed that formal legal proceedings have been initiated in both cases. The raids were carried out on the instructions of senior officials as part of a broader drive to detect and dismantle prostitution networks operating under commercial cover.
Notably, the use of decoy customers and independent witnesses in both operations indicates a procedurally careful approach aimed at ensuring prosecutable evidence — a standard protocol under anti-trafficking enforcement. This comes amid ongoing efforts by Gujarat Police to intensify operations against human trafficking fronts across urban centres. Further investigation into the supply chain of women brought to these premises is expected to follow.
Point of View
But Tuesday's twin raids in Rajkot illustrate how enforcement agencies are sharpening their procedural rigour — deploying decoys and independent witnesses to pre-empt acquittals. The cross-state angle, with an accused linked to Udaipur district in Rajasthan, hints at a supply chain that extends beyond Gujarat's borders and warrants deeper trafficking investigation. What often gets lost in post-raid reporting is what happens to the rescued women: rehabilitation, legal protection, and reintegration under the Act matter as much as the arrest count. How Rajkot Police handles the survivor side of this case will be the real measure of institutional intent.
NationPress
27 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Rajkot AHTU raids on 26 October uncover?
The Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of Rajkot City Police raided two premises — a marriage bureau front at Gururaksha Complex and Florence Wellness Spa on Kalawad Road — rescuing four women and registering cases under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956. Both locations were allegedly operating as prostitution fronts under commercial cover.
Who were the accused persons named in the cases?
In the first case at the marriage bureau, police found Jayashriben alias Minaben, 51, and Meet Pujara, 22, both residents of Kothariya Road, Rajkot. In the second case at Florence Wellness Spa, a case was registered against Ganesh Meena, 23, a spa employee from Udaipur district, Rajasthan.
What charges have been filed in both cases?
Cases have been registered under Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 in both instances. Legal proceedings have been formally initiated, police confirmed.
What items were seized during the raids?
From the marriage bureau premises, police seized cash of ₹3,400, condoms worth ₹400, and a mobile phone worth ₹5,000 — totalling ₹8,800. From Florence Wellness Spa, they seized ₹7,210 in cash and two mobile phones worth ₹10,000, totalling ₹17,210.
How did the AHTU conduct the raids without tipping off the operators?
In both operations, the AHTU deployed a decoy customer and called two independent witnesses before entering the premises — a standard protocol under anti-trafficking enforcement to ensure that evidence gathered is admissible and legally sound.
