Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 12: Authorities here today issued a show cause notice to the owners of MC Dollar Hotel, located in the Gujjar Nagar area, following allegations of the hotel’s involvement in immoral activities.
The notice granted the hotel owners a period of seven days to explain why they should not be evicted from the premises and why their property should not be attached under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act of 1956.
District Magistrate Jammu issued the notice based on a report received from the Senior Superintendent of Police Jammu and SDPO City East, highlighting the alleged connection of MC Dollar Hotel to Case FIR number 32/2023.
The case involves Sections 366-A/342/344/34 of the Indian Penal Code, Sections 4/6/16 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, and Sections 5/6/7/18 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, at Police Station Bagh-e-Bahu.
According to the order, a minor girl who was rescued from wrongful confinement stated that the hotel’s manager was responsible for bringing multiple female victims to the establishment for immoral activities, specifically prostitution. CCTV footages from MC Dollar Hotel had been seized as evidence and sent to the CFSL Chandigarh for analysis, with the report pending.
The order further stated that there is sufficient evidence to support the claim that the hotel was being utilized as a brothel, where multiple female victims were allegedly mistreated for immoral purposes.
It is noteworthy that a show cause notice under Section 13 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1978, was previously issued to the owners/proprietors of MC Dollar Hotel on June 9, 2023. However, the High Court of J&K and Ladakh stayed the notice, leading to the current issuance of a fresh notice by the competent authority in accordance with the provisions of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956.
The owners of MC Dollar Hotel have been directed to respond to the show cause notice within seven days from the date of issuance. Failure to provide a satisfactory explanation may result in eviction and attachment of the property under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act of 1956, as stated in the order issued by the District Magistrate Jammu.
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