Prostitution racket busted in Palghar, one held; 3 women rescued

Representational Pic/File

The Palghar Police in Maharashtra busted a prostitution racket and arrested one person in connection with the matter, an official said on Sunday, reported the PTI.

Three women were rescued after the sex racket was busted by the police, the official said.

IN PHOTOS: Preparations underway for PM Modi`s rally at Shivaji Park in Mumbai ahead of Maharashtra polls

6 days agoPHOTO GALLERY

"A 50-year-old has been arrested for allegedly running a prostitution racket in Maharashtra's Palghar district," said an official, as per the PTI.

Acting on inputs, the Anti-Human Trafficking Cell (AHTC) of the Mira-Bhayandar, Vasai-Virar police raided a room near a hotel in Vasai East on Friday and busted the illegal business, he said.

Before the raid, police sent a decoy customer who contacted the accused through WhatsApp and struck a deal for Rs 29,000, he said.

Police also rescued three women, aged between 40 and 42, whom Shah used to exploit and send to his clients, said inspector Saurabhi Pawar of the Nalasopara unit of AHTC.

The accused has been booked under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, while the women have been sent to a shelter, the official added, as per the PTI.

Case against 5 members of flying squad for extorting Rs 85,000 from bizman in Thane

Meanwhile, the police have registered a case against five members of a poll flying squad, including two constables, for allegedly extorting Rs 85,000 from a flower merchant after threatening him in Maharashtra's Thane district, an official said on Sunday, according to the PTI.

The incident took place on October 18 at Mharal Naka here.

The accused violated the model code of conduct, in place for the November 20 state assembly polls, stated the FIR.

The flower businessman and his friend were on way to Ahmednagar and Pune in a car and carrying Rs 7.5 lakh for making payments to farmers for purchases made during the Dussehra festival, the official from Ulhasnagar police station said.

The accused intercepted the car when it was proceeding towards Murbad and threatened the duo that their money will be seized and a case will be registered against them.

They allegedly extorted Rs 85,000 from the flower merchant, the official said.

The accused did not inform their seniors about the money found with the flower businessman, and also did not follow the set procedure for the raid and seizure, he said.

After the probe and a complaint by a poll official, the Ulhasnagar police on Saturday registered a case against the five accused under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 308(2) (extortion), 198 (public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person), 134 (assault or criminal force in attempt to commit theft of property carried by a person) and 3(5) (criminal act done by several persons in furtherance of the common intention of all), he said, the news agency reported.

(with PTI inputs)