Ghaziabad, Aug 12 (IANS): After being left red-faced over a so-called sex racket that never was, Ghaziabad police said Monday they were checking all hotels to weed out policemen occupying rooms illegally.

It now transpires that a hotel the police raided Saturday night and dragged out several couples on charges of illegal sex was actually home to 17 of their colleagues.

Police admitted hours later that they were wrong in raiding the hotel and that almost all the couples they questioned had done no wrong.

After coming under intense criticism for harassing innocents, Ghaziabad Senior Superintendent of Police Dharmendra Yadav said he wanted all hotels in the district to be screened.

The aim, he said, was to fish out all policemen illegally occupying rooms in different hotels.

"I have ordered an enquiry and (ordered the preparation of a) list of such policemen who are staying in hotels.

"Departmental action would be initiated against them."

The police personnel are said to have taken the hotel rooms since being transferred to Ghaziabad.

Yadav said action had already been initiated against the Bajaria police post in-charge Davendra Singh and a beat constable who were part of the raiding team.

Another constable was attached to the police lines.

Ghaziabad residents have been asking how could any sex racket operate in a hotel where 17 policemen were residing -- unless they were part of the shame.

Hotel owners in Ghaziabad complain policemen who take up rooms rarely ever pay.

If any hotel owner musters courage to ask them to vacate, "he is bound to face harassment", said Vineet Sharma, president of the Social Awareness Society.