The women, aged between 20 and 30 years and hailing from the upmarket Lokhandwala Complex at Andheri (W), were beginning to undress as liquor flowed and a pornographic film was being screened, when the dingy 12 sq ft premises were raided, according to Police Inspector Nandkishore Mistry.

Though it was not clear what exactly was in store for the rest of the evening, empty hotel rooms furnished with beds, mattresses and pillows, left little to the imagination. Eyewitnesses say the other patrons in the hotel literally fled the hotel, located barely 100 mt from the Khar railway station,within minutes of the raid. The hotel was completely deserted within an hour after the raid. The six gaudily made-up girls were detained in Room No 205 as police searched the premises.

According to Assistant Police Inspector Babanrao Palande, the 13 men, mainly cloth merchants, were caught while throwing money at the women, who were dancing in the centre of the room. More than Rs 10,700 has been seized, he said.

Among those arrested was Ranjan Paras Kumar, who makes a living by arranging for women at such parties. The hotel manager, Nagesh Basappa Narkunde, and owner Sunit Narinder Chadda alias Romi, have also been arrested. All three have been charged under Sections 292 and 34 (obscenity) of the Indian Penal Code.

Electronic items worth Rs 80,000, including a compact-disc player, were seized on that occasion.

On March 23, 150 persons were arrested at a rave party in Marve. Most of the participants were residents of upmarket Malabar Hill, Juhu and Vile Parle. A majority of hotels outside the Kharrailway station are notorious for such activities, where girls are transported in taxis especially hired for this purpose. The women usually hail from central Mumbai and at times from suburbs like Lokandwala Complex, police say.