Prior to the new Act, the Mumbai police could book those running illegal dance bars under mild, bailable non-cognizable sections that carried a maximum imprisonment of three months.
ARMED WITH a strong legislation and hidden cameras, the Social Service Branch (SSB) of the Mumbai police has been going after dance bars operating on the sly with renewed vigour. Since May 13, when the SSB received a copy of the law passed by the Maharashtra government, it has carried out 13 raids, arrested at least 300 persons and rescued 95 bar dancers.
Prior to the new Act, the Mumbai police could book those running illegal dance bars under mild, bailable non-cognizable sections that carried a maximum imprisonment of three months. The new bill has a maximum punishment of five years and a fine of Rs 25 lakh or both.
A senior officer said that even prior to the Maharashtra Prohibition of Obscene Dance in Bars and Hotels and Protection of Dignity of Women Act, 2016, dance bars were banned in the state. “Then, several dance bars still operated stealthily since we could only charge them under section 294 of the Indian Penal Code that deals with ‘obscene songs and acts’. The maximum punishment under this Act was three months. The bar owners did not mind taking that risk,” said the officer. He added, “Now, customers and bar owners are hesitant as they could end up spending at most five years behind bars and fines upto Rs 25 lakh on conviction,” said the officer.
