Patna, July 3 (IANS) The Patna Police have busted a suspected prostitution racket operating from a hotel in the Gandhi Maidan area of Patna late, said police on Friday.

During a raid conducted on the premises on Thursday night, officers rescued 10 women and detained a man for questioning.

The operation was carried out within the jurisdiction of the Gandhi Maidan Police Station following specific intelligence inputs.

According to police officials, a tip-off had indicated that an organised prostitution racket had been functioning from the hotel for a considerable period.

Acting on the information, a special police team conducted a search of the premises and inspected several rooms during the raid.

The rescued women have been taken into protective custody.

Preliminary investigation suggests that most of them are residents of West Bengal and Delhi.

Police are now trying to determine the circumstances under which they were brought to Patna and whether they were victims of trafficking or coercion.

During the operation, police recovered several objectionable items, including liquor bottles, from the hotel premises.

Officials have also seized mobile phones and other electronic devices, which are being examined to identify additional members of the alleged network and gather digital evidence.

The detained man is being questioned, and investigators are attempting to identify the hotel operator, touts, and other individuals allegedly involved in the racket.

Police are also examining the role of the hotel management to determine whether those running the establishment were aware of or facilitated the alleged illegal activities.

As part of the investigation, officers have seized the hotel’s guest registers, CCTV footage, and other relevant documents.

These materials are being scrutinised to establish the sequence of events and identify everyone connected to the case.

Confirming the raid, City SP Sanket Kumar said that objectionable items and liquor bottles were recovered from the hotel.

He added that the preliminary findings indicate the existence of a prostitution racket, and further legal action will be taken based on the evidence collected and the outcome of the ongoing investigation.

Police have emphasised that the probe is continuing and that action will be taken against all those found to be involved in the alleged operation in accordance with the law.

–IANS

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