'Under Garb Of Spa Centres, Miscreants Are Running Prostitution Racket': HC Tells Punjab Govt To Frame Guidelines For Welfare Of Female Staff

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has directed the Punjab Government to frame a policy to regulate the operations of spa and massage centres within the State of Punjab, noting that under the guise of running such centres, prostitution rackets and immoral/human trafficking are taking place in several locations.

Justice Kuldeep Tiwari said, "taking into account the gravity of the issue involved as well as the welfare of the women working in the spa and massage centres, this Court deems it appropriate to direct the State of Punjab to consider this writ petition as a representation and frame guidelines/policy regulating the operations of spa and massage centres within the State of Punjab."

"From the FIR figures (supra), which appertain only to one Commissionerate, this Court prima facie believes such kind of rackets to be operating in the entire State. Hence, it is of dire significance for the State of Punjab to prevent the massage and spa centres from becoming havens of illegal activities and prostitution and also to prevent the exploitation of gullible women by owners/managers of massage and spa centres. This menace can only be curbed through framing of apt guidelines/policy regulating operation of the spa and massage centres," the court underscored. 

The Court added that the exercise shall be completed within three months from today and a status report in this regard be also filed post compliance of these directions.

These observations were made while hearing the plea filed by owners of beauty parlors, massage and spa centres, in Punjab, seeking issuance of directions upon the police authorities not to interfere in their business activities and also not to interfere in the peaceful functioning of their massage and spa centres situated within the municipal limits of Jalandhar.

Perusing the reply filed by the Punjab Government the Court said, "The reply dated 26.03.2025, as furnished on behalf of the respondents No.1, 2 3 and 5, reveals that some miscreants, under the garb of running spa and massage centres, have been running prostitution racket and are involved in immoral/human trafficking. Consequent upon busting of such prostitution rackets, various FIRs within the limits of District Jalandhar have been registered."

Justice Tiwari highlighted that the High Court in Nagaraj T @ Charles v. State of U.T. Chandigarh observed that the Immoral Trafficking Act are rising in Chandigarh, and suggested that the authorities should contemplate formulating guidelines for the operation of spa/massage centers, similar to those framed by the Delhi Government.

In Nagaraj's case the Court had said that, “Keeping in view the fact that cases under the Act (Immoral Trafficking Act) are growing in U.T. Chandigarh; therefore, in order to curb this menace, there would be no harm if the authorities may think about the similar guidelines (GNCT of Delhi's guideline on operation of Spa/massage centres) for the City Beautiful.”

Mr. Deepak Singh Saini, Advocate with Ms. Parul Saini, Advocate for the petitioners.

Mr. Pardeep Bajaj, D.A.G., Punjab.

Title: SABNAM KHATUN AND ORS V. STATE OF PUNJAB AND ORS

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