Gujarat Police raid Mehsana spas, guesthouse; 7 arrested in prostitution crackdown
Synopsis
Gujarat Police's State Monitoring Cell busted alleged prostitution rackets operating behind the facade of spas and a guesthouse in Mehsana, arresting seven people and naming six as wanted in a single coordinated sweep. The raids — spanning five establishments on the Mehsana Bypass corridor — seized ₹2,17,100 in property and exposed a network with alleged links to Rajasthan.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat Police's SMC raided four spas and one guesthouse in Mehsana district on 3 September .
Seven people were arrested; six others were named as wanted accused.
Property worth ₹2,17,100 was seized across all five establishments.
Cases registered under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 .
Several accused and wanted persons are from Dungarpur and Barmer districts in Rajasthan.
Investigation is ongoing; police are pursuing the six wanted accused.
Gujarat Police's State Monitoring Cell (SMC) raided four spas and a guesthouse in Mehsana district on 3 September, arresting seven people and naming six others as wanted in connection with alleged prostitution rackets being run under the cover of legitimate spa and hospitality businesses. All five establishments fall under the jurisdiction of Mehsana Taluka Police Station.
How the Racket Allegedly Operated
According to police, women were allegedly kept at the premises and offered financial benefits from customers, effectively converting the spas into brothels. The raids followed specific intelligence inputs about illegal activities at the five locations. Property worth a combined ₹2,17,100 was seized across all establishments. Cases have been registered under Sections 3, 4, 5, and 7 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
Establishment-by-Establishment Arrests
At Apple One Spa, on the third floor of Krishna Complex on Mehsana-Nugar Bypass Road, manager Lokesh Patidar of Dungarpur, Rajasthan was arrested. Two mobile phones and ₹3,700 in cash were among the items seized, with total seized property valued at ₹13,700.
At The Moon Light Spa in Samarth Complex near Panchot Bridge on Mehsana Bypass Highway Road, manager Akash Ramavat of Barmer district, Rajasthan was arrested. A mobile phone, a DVR, 10 condoms, a register, and ₹2,000 in cash were seized, totalling ₹7,000 in seized property. Spa partner Tejaskumar Raval and Hasina Abad Raun of Mumbai — who allegedly acquired the spa through a sale agreement — were named as wanted accused.
At Golden Spa near D-Mart and Panchot village crossroad, Sunil Thakor of Patan and Rohitsinh Parmar of Mehsana were arrested. Three mobile phones, two rent agreements, five condoms, visiting cards, and cash worth a combined ₹63,000 were seized. Poonam Raval of Patan was named as a wanted accused.
At The Luxury Beauty and Spa in Avadh Plaza Complex on Mehsana Bypass Road, operator Ajaykumar Prajapati of Patan was arrested. Two mobile phones, a pen drive, two condoms, and other items worth ₹84,900 were seized. Yash Raval of Mehsana was named as a wanted accused.
The fifth raid targeted Hotel Madhuvan Guest House at Dev Business Point near Nugar Circle on Mehsana Bypass. Lalsinh Prithvisinh Rav and Vishal Rameshwar Joshi, both originally from Dungarpur, Rajasthan, were arrested. Four mobile phones, 35 condoms, a DVR, a register, and cash totalling ₹48,500 were seized. Arvind Patidar and Vejji Patidar, both of Dungarpur, were named as wanted accused.
Legal Provisions Invoked
Most cases were registered under Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act — covering running, managing, and profiting from a brothel — along with Section 54 of the BNS at four of the five locations. The guesthouse case additionally drew Section 7 of the ITPA, which pertains to prostitution in or near public places.
What Comes Next
The SMC stated that its teams conduct regular operations against illegal activities across Gujarat. Investigation into all five cases is ongoing, and police are actively pursuing the six wanted accused. The pattern of accused originating from Rajasthan — particularly Dungarpur and Barmer districts — is expected to be a focus of the continuing probe.
Point of View
With operators often sourced from or connected to neighbouring states. The SMC's sweep is operationally significant, but the presence of six wanted accused — and alleged absentee owners holding spas through sale agreements — points to a layered network that street-level arrests alone will not dismantle. Investigators will need to follow the financial trail, particularly the sale agreements and DVR footage seized, to establish whether this is an organised ring or a cluster of independent operators. The use of both the legacy ITPA and the new BNS provisions signals prosecutorial intent, but conviction rates under the ITPA have historically been low without witness protection for victims.
NationPress
3 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where were the raids conducted in Mehsana?
The raids targeted five establishments — Apple One Spa, The Moon Light Spa, Golden Spa, The Luxury Beauty and Spa, and Hotel Madhuvan Guest House — all located on or near the Mehsana Bypass corridor and falling under Mehsana Taluka Police Station jurisdiction.
How many people were arrested and what are the charges?
Seven people were arrested across the five establishments, with six others named as wanted. Cases were registered under Sections 3, 4, 5, and 7 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, and Section 54 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
What property was seized during the Mehsana spa raids?
A total of ₹2,17,100 worth of property was seized, including multiple mobile phones, DVRs, condoms, rent agreements, registers, visiting cards, and cash across all five locations.
Who conducted the raids and why?
Gujarat Police's State Monitoring Cell (SMC) conducted the raids after receiving specific intelligence about alleged prostitution activities being run under the guise of spa and guesthouse services. The SMC regularly conducts operations against illegal activities across Gujarat.
What is the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act under which cases were registered?
The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 is India's primary legislation against trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation. Sections 3, 4, and 5 deal with keeping or managing a brothel and living off the earnings of prostitution; Section 7 covers prostitution in or near public places.
