The Bawa International Hotel in Vile Parle, at the hub of many controversies in the past, was in limelight once again on Friday when minister of state for home, Siddharam Mhetre, announced in the legislative council that the hotel had been issued a notice asking why its licence should not be cancelled.
Sex workers, pimps held at hotel: Upper House.
The Bawa International Hotel in Vile Parle, at the hub of many controversies in the past, was in limelight once again on Friday when minister of state for home, Siddharam Mhetre, announced in the legislative council that the hotel had been issued a notice asking why its licence should not be cancelled.
The hotel, which is close to the domestic airport, was last raided in April and sex workers and pimps were arrested. Last year, a South African model said in her police complaint that she had been abducted, taken to the hotel, raped and then dumped in Lokhandwala by two men.
The minister said that the police department would be duly informed about the cancellation notice. He assured members that a special fast track court would be appointed to deal with rape cases. However the hotel would be given a hearing before a decision is taken.
Mhetre’s response came to a question raised by Sudhir Sawant (Cong), Diwakar Rawte and Neelam Gorhe (Shiv Sena) about the three hotels (the others are Hyatt Regency and ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton and Towers, near the international airport) who were raided, following which eight women and four pimps were arrested. He said, “We kept getting complaints about Bawa International, so we decided to cancel its licence.”
Sena MLC Neelam Gorhe said that with such nefarious activity going unpunished, there was a need for a fast track court to deal with such cases. The government agreed that fast track courts were called for and also conceded that the flesh trade flourished in Mumbai in general and five-star hotels in particular.
Starred hotels are apparently issued as many as 15 licences. It was not clear for which licence Bawa International had received a notice. Owner GS Bawa said, “As of now, no licence had been cancelled.”
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