Speaking to mid-day, Akash Singh, the owner of Godfather Club & Lounge, said, “The Amboli police instructed us to close the club for investigation purposes. That is why we shut it down.”

Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj, men’s rights activist and filmmaker

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A source within the club industry told mid-day that while the closure may be temporary, those involved in such scams are often very cunning. After lying low for a few days, they typically reopen under a new name and with different staff, making it difficult for regular patrons to notice any change. This tactic is reportedly used not only in Mumbai but across various cities in India.

A Mumbai cop from Amboli police station said, “More victims have approached us after the FIR was registered regarding the dating app scam. We have asked all victims to appear on Wednesday to record their statements.”

“We are examining CCTV footage, bills, entry registers, call records, and the club’s bank details. Additionally, we are investigating the scammer girls’ chats to determine how many people they contacted and how many victims they met at this club. We are also tracing the financial transactions to identify which bank accounts received the money paid by the victims,” a police source added.

Many victims expressed their dissatisfaction with the police, claiming that their statements were not recorded by the Amboli police on Sunday and Monday. They also told mid-day that the authorities are not treating the case with the seriousness it deserves and are not properly investigating it. Several victims have provided their contact details but are still waiting to be called by the Amboli police.

mid-day investigation, conducted since July 30, covered three clubs: Godfather Club and Lounge in Andheri, Vente Pa'Ca Nightclub in Vashi, and Matahaari Club at Atria Mall in Worli. The women invited mid-day reporters to these clubs on the first date, ordered expensive drinks, food, and hookahs, and racked up hefty bills. In many cases, the women would leave the club before the bills were paid.

While Vente Pa'Ca Nightclub and Matahaari Club remain operational, the Godfather Club is currently shut.

The scam is still being pulled off in Mumbai, with several women luring male dating app users to meet near the DN Nagar Metro station.

Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj, men’s rights activist and filmmaker, said, “The scam happening at Godfather is the tip of the iceberg. There are multiple clubs in Mumbai where this scam is running and many more victims are reaching out after the exposé. Mumbai police registered an FIR only after the matter was highlighted by several people. This is a huge nexus operating across Mumbai. I really hope that Mumbai police get to the depth of it and reach the persons behind this entire scam. The financial trail of this scam needs to be followed to determine its scale. 

While these clubs are located in Mumbai, payments are going to multiple accounts in Delhi. I would also encourage everyone who has been trapped like this to approach the police and lodge a complaint.”

3
No. of days the Godfather club is shut