INDIA: Old Age Home or Brothel in Mumbai Suburbs?

Accused Monalika Desai, with senior citizens at her Akhil Tower, Dahisar residence MUMBAI (Mid-Day), January 9, 2006: Gynaecologist Himanshu Desai’s wife Monalika has come down heavily on the police for accusing her and her husband of running a brothel. The couple, along with six alleged sex workers, was arrested on Saturday after the police conducted a raid at their residence at Akhil Tower in Dahisar. Says Monalika, “How can I operate a brothel when I have five to six senior citizens taking shelter at my place.” She said it was a trap to implicate her and Himanshu, who have been running an old-age home and hospital for the last 20 years. ‘Women are visitors for inmates’: “Is this where I run a brothel? How can I be so cruel to allow people to have sex in front of senior citizens who are all nearing 90?” said Monalika. She added, “We get women visitors to the hospital every day. When Himanshu was attending to an emergency with three women, a man rang the bell and entered. He went to my son’s bedroom and before I could ask for his identity, cops barged in and arrested us.” Girls were our guests: Shantibhai (96), a freedom fighter, said in a broken voice, “Kal raat jo aveyo maru guest che (referring to the three women, among the six who were arrested for being sex workers). Neighbours say she is a liar: But neighbours have a different story. “They may have senior citizens at their apartment, but why do men and women walk in at midnight?” asks a neighbour. Cops send bogus customer: The Dahisar police say the arrest was made on the basis of complaints. “We sent a bogus customer, who was shown six girls. Dr Desai himself was seen seated between three women cracking jokes. The girls who were detained have confirmed that they are sex workers,” said senior police inspector Ravi Thakur. The police added that the doctor also confessed to his crime and said he did it as his hospital was not doing well. By Nishant A Bhuse