Rajasthan: Hotel operator's property worth Rs 12 crore earned through prostitution confiscated

Jaipur, Oct 9 (IANS) Bundi Police in Rajasthan have carried out the first-ever action under Section 107 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) - the new criminal procedure law - by confiscating property worth Rs 12 crore earned through illegal prostitution operations, police informed on Thursday.

Police in a statement said that the operation was executed under the leadership of Station House Officer Ramesh Chand Arya, with directions from Superintendent of Police Rajendra Kumar Meena and supervision by Additional SP Uma Sharma.

Police said that the accused, Banwari Shekhar Bairwa (36), a native of Jhuwansa, was born into a modest labourer’s family. In 2004, he migrated to Kota, where he worked as a cook at a local hotel.

“After a brief stint in Indore, he returned to Bundi in 2013 and entered the roadside dhaba business. However, driven by the lure of quick money, Banwari soon plunged into the illicit world of prostitution,” police said.

“What started as a small-scale operation evolved into a well-organised criminal enterprise, allowing him to rapidly accumulate wealth. In just a few years, he transitioned from a slum dweller to the owner of a luxurious multi-story hotel, high-end vehicles, and multiple properties,” police said.

The police statement said that they were operating under the name Welcome Hotel, Banwari and his wife Kiran began offering illegal services under the guise of a dhaba they rented in Ramganj Balaji in 2015.

The police pointed out that the couple provided women to customers - often intoxicated or looking for illicit entertainment - during nighttime hours, significantly boosting their earnings.

The police also emphasised that with the profits from this operation, Banwari constructed a high-end hotel with underground rooms, designed to prevent unauthorised entry.

“He began trafficking women from neighbouring states and even abroad, establishing a full-fledged prostitution racket. The illegal income was used to acquire two luxury cars and three motorcycles, a multi-story residence in Ramganj Balaji, a hotel on the National Highway, agricultural and commercial land worth crores and multiple bank accounts with crores of rupees in deposits,” the statement added.

It said that SHO Ramesh Chand Arya led the extensive investigation by gathering detailed records and valuations of Banwari Shekhar’s movable and immovable assets in coordination with the Revenue Department, PWD, and Transport Department.

“A formal petition was then filed by the SP's office with the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Bundi, who ordered the seizure of assets worth Rs 12 crore belonging to Banwari and his wife Kiran,” the police statement said.

Police said that Superintendent of Police Rajendra Kumar Meena emphasised that this action reflects the Bundi Police’s commitment to tackling the root causes of organised crime:

“This is not just about punishing one individual, but about sending a clear message to the entire criminal ecosystem. The goal is to instil confidence in the public and fear among criminals. Such bold and lawful actions will continue as part of our crime eradication campaign,” the police statement said.

--IANS

arc/dan