Delhi Police rescue 19 women, arrest 10 in spa raids in Nabi Karim and Paharganj
Synopsis
Delhi Police's Central District simultaneously raided two spas on Desh Bandhu Gupta Road — Hollywood Spa in Nabi Karim and New Latest Unisex Salon and Spa in Paharganj — rescuing 19 women and arresting 10 people in one of the district's larger anti-trafficking actions this year. Both cases are registered under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.
Key Takeaways
Delhi Police raided two spa establishments in Nabi Karim and Paharganj on 16–17 October 2026 .
19 women were rescued across both operations; 14 from Hollywood Spa and 5 from New Latest Unisex Salon and Spa.
10 people were arrested in total — 9 from the Nabi Karim raid, including spa owner Preeti Iman Ali , and 1 from the Paharganj raid.
452/2026 — were registered under Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act .
A decoy customer operation was used to confirm illegal activity before the Nabi Karim raid was launched.
Further investigation is underway under the supervision of the respective SHOs and the ACP, Paharganj .
Delhi Police's Central District conducted simultaneous raids on 16–17 October 2026 at two spa establishments in the Nabi Karim and Paharganj areas of New Delhi, rescuing 19 women and arresting 10 people for alleged involvement in illegal activities. Two FIRs have been registered under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, and investigations are underway.
Operation at Hollywood Spa, Nabi Karim
The larger of the two operations targeted Hollywood Spa, located on the second and third floors of property number 8709-10 on Desh Bandhu Gupta Road. According to police, on 16 October, a secret informer approached Sub-Inspector Neeraj Rathi with specific information about an alleged sex racket operating at the premises. The tip was shared with the station house officer, who assembled a team to verify the input and take legal action.
A police officer was deployed as a decoy customer to confirm the alleged illegal activity. Once verified, the team raided the premises, rescuing 14 women and arresting nine accused. The arrested individuals were identified as Preeti Iman Ali, 39, the spa owner; Rizwan Ali, 38, the manager; and seven others — Asif, 35; Shajeb, 31; Mohd. Umar, 39; Sameer, 25; Shahrukh, 35; Gulrej alias Danish, 28; and Shiva, 25. The accused are reportedly residents of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Karnataka.
An FIR bearing number 473/26, dated 16 October, was registered at Nabi Karim police station under Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. The Nabi Karim operation was conducted under the supervision of the respective SHO and the ACP, Paharganj.
Second Raid at Paharganj Spa
In a separate simultaneous operation, Paharganj Police raided New Latest Unisex Salon and Spa at property number 3738, also on Desh Bandhu Gupta Road. Five women were rescued during the raid, and one accused was arrested.
The arrested individual was identified as Shakeel Ahmed, 46, a native of Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, who was reportedly residing at the spa premises. An FIR bearing number 452/2026, dated 17 October, was registered at Paharganj police station under Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.
Legal Framework and Charges
Both FIRs invoke Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act — provisions that address keeping or managing a brothel, living on the earnings of sex work, and procuring or inducing persons for that purpose, respectively. The use of legitimate business fronts such as spas and salons to allegedly run such operations has been a recurring pattern in anti-trafficking enforcement actions across Indian cities.
Investigation Status and Next Steps
Police from both stations carried out the raids under the supervision of their respective SHOs, with the Nabi Karim operation additionally overseen by the ACP, Paharganj. Further investigation is underway, according to officials. The rescued women are expected to receive support through the prescribed legal and welfare channels mandated for such cases. No additional details about their identities or the next legal steps have been disclosed publicly at this stage.
Point of View
And Delhi's Paharganj belt has featured in such enforcement actions before. What makes this operation notable is its coordinated, simultaneous execution across two premises — suggesting prior intelligence build-up rather than a reactive tip. The real measure of effectiveness, however, lies beyond the arrests: whether the rescued women receive timely rehabilitation support, and whether the investigation follows the money to establish the full supply chain rather than stopping at the operators on the premises.
NationPress
17 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Delhi spa raids on October 16–17?
Delhi Police's Central District raided two spa establishments — Hollywood Spa in Nabi Karim and New Latest Unisex Salon and Spa in Paharganj — rescuing 19 women and arresting 10 people for alleged involvement in illegal activities. Two FIRs have been registered under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.
Who was arrested in the Delhi spa raids?
Ten people were arrested in total. The nine arrested in the Nabi Karim raid include Hollywood Spa owner Preeti Iman Ali, 39, and manager Rizwan Ali, 38, along with seven others. The Paharganj raid led to the arrest of Shakeel Ahmed, 46, a native of Rampur, Uttar Pradesh.
What charges have been filed against the accused?
FIRs have been registered under Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, which deal with managing a brothel, living on earnings from sex work, and procuring or inducing persons for such purposes, respectively.
How did police confirm illegal activity before the Nabi Karim raid?
A police officer was deployed as a decoy customer at Hollywood Spa to verify the tip received from a secret informer who had approached Sub-Inspector Neeraj Rathi on October 16. The raid was launched after the alleged illegal activity was confirmed through this operation.
What happens next in the Delhi spa raid case?
Further investigation is underway under the supervision of the respective SHOs and the ACP, Paharganj. The rescued women are expected to be processed through the legal and welfare channels mandated for trafficking cases under Indian law.
