The chief of Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Swati Maliwal on Thursday alleged that there are around 5,000 illegal spas situated across the national Capital. The DCW has also submitted detailed 87-page recommendations to Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Anil Baijal to stop 'sex' rackets running in illegal spas and massage parlours across the city.
According to the data shared by the DCW shows that there are around 5,000 spas in Delhi. While, as per the municipal there are total of 399 spas licensed in Delhi under the three Municipal Corporations. "As per the justdial, there are thousands of spas in Delhi, which raises a concern that thousands of spa are operating illegally in the Capital," said DCW.
"The Commission has observed through its field inspections that full scale prostitution rackets are running in several spa centres in various locations in Delhi. The report has highlighted how the authorities have allowed the red light area to expand to hundreds of locations in the city by allowing unchecked mushrooming of spa and massage centres in Delhi. While, ither cities police are such as Mumbai, Gurugram and Bengaluru is actively acting against prostitution rackets operating in Spas but Delhi Police is completely silent on the matter," said Maliwal in a statement.
DCW further claimed that after its intervention , five FIRs have been registered against spa centres in Delhi but the Police has not made any arrests so far.
DCW also said that its officials and Chairperson of the Commission are repeatedly getting threat calls from the owners of these spas. "Even then, Delhi Police has not filed any FIR upon the complaint of the Commission. There appears to be a deep rooted nexus of the spa owners with vested interests within the system including Municipal Corporations, Delhi Police and other authorities," DCW chief said further in the statement.
"The report observes that some owners of spa have also filed a writ with twisted facts in court against the work of the Commission in busting and acting against the sex rackets operating in spa centres. One of the petitioners is a politician from a leading national political party. The Commission has also received serious complaints against the spa operated by several petitioners," read the statement further.
Besides, DCW has requested Delhi LG to impose complete ban on cross-gender massages, closure of illegal spa centres running illegally in Delhi, strict rules and regulations for opening of spas.
"Licensing mechanism should be changed and NOC must be obtained from Commissioner of Police, notarized affidavit must be submitted stating that the applicant shall not allow the premises to be used for any illegal activity including prostitution and trafficking. It suggested that license should be issued only after physical verification of the premises," said Maliwal.
The other recommemdations are internal complaints committee under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace, staff to be appointed in the spas with minimum educational, police verification, Tamil maintenance of ID cards and details of the customers, installation of CCTV Cameras, rooms to be kept open during massage, regulation of operating hours of spa.
The DCW chief has further requested LG to form joint teams of MCD, Delhi Police and DCW to inspect all existing spa centres.