GURUGRAM: Once the city’s most well-known party address,
MG Road is currently being watched closely by two government departments for any kind of “suspicious activity” at its bars, malls, footpaths, parking lots — the entire stretch that is known as the
Mall Mile.
Police said they had deployed both men and women officers in plainclothes at the
Mall Mile, specifically around two malls, while the excise department said it has formed 12 teams for daily inspections of bars and
pubs on the stretch. The deployment began after police raids on two Mall Mile bars — Phantom and Ignite — in the first week of July led to the arrest of seven people, including the bar owners. Police said a sex trade racket was operating from the bars. Police also said they also had received numerous complaints from local
residents about prostitution rackets operating from the Mall Mile.
Police have also written to the excise department to cancel the licence of the two bars located in Sahara Mall and MGF Metropolitan, where the cops in plainclothes have also been deployed.
“These officers will keep continuous watch at these malls and action will be taken if any illegal activity is detected,” said police spokesperson Subhash Bokan.
Deputy excise commissioner HC Dahiya said the 12 teams were conducting checks every day, not only at bars on MG Road but also in the larger hangout zones like Cyber Hub, Sector 29, Golf Course Road and Sohna Road. “Strict action will be taken if any outlets are found to be involved in immoral activities and violation of norms. This includes cancellation of licence,” said Dahiya.
Asked about the police missive on the two bars, Dahiya said, “The file has been sent to Chandigarh.”
Police commissioner KK Rao said after taking charge, he had visited half a dozen pubs and bars and was shocked to see “how money was being demanded for a dance or for offering sexual favours”. “The raid was planned was receiving complaints and confirming illegal activities were taking place,” said Rao.
Club owners who have been booked and are currently out on bail refuted the allegations and claimed they were being harassed. “We are paying heavy licence fee (to the government) to operate,” said one of the owners. He declined to be named.
Another MG Road bar owner, who also didn not wish to be named, said police were spreading rumours, referring to claims of sex trade rackets operating from some bars: “We have all the required permissions and licences to run a club. If a woman comes to our club and chooses to dance with a man, there isn’t much we can do about it. The recent raids conducted by the police are unjustified. All the immoral and illegal activities are restricted to just one mall and the service lanes around it.”
Representative image 
