Cops rescue 13 girls from Grant Road restaurant

Manager, cashier of Pooja bar arrested; in police remand

The Social Service Branch of the Mumbai police on Monday raided Pooja Restaurant and Bar on Grant Road and arrested the manager and cashier along with 10 people. Police raided the bar for allegedly running a prostitution racket and rescued 13 girls.

The restaurant manager Mohammed Salim Khan, 43, and cashier Parmeshwar Shetty, 38, were arrested under the Prevention of Immoral Traffic Act ( PITA).

A police team led by police inspector Bhagwan Chate sent a decoy customer to the hotel. The customer struck a deal for a girl at Rs1,000 and took her to the nearby Shaheen Guest House.

In the meantime, he also signalled to the police team, which raided the hotel and rescued the girls.

The arrested were remanded in police custody till September 21 by the additional chief metropolitan magistrate’s court at Esplanade on Tuesday.

The rescued girls were sent to Navjeevan Mahila Sudhar Griha at Chembur till September 20.