Seven more arrested in prostitution racket

The police have arrested seven more persons in connection with the running of an organised prostitution racket at an apartment in Mangaluru and sexually assaulting a minor girl studying in a PU college. With this, the total number of people arrested in the case has risen to 10.

On February 3, the police arrested three persons, including two women, after rescuing two minor girls and had registered a case under the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act.

As the investigation into the case revealed more details, the police have registered four separate FIRs under Pocso Act, based on a complaint by a minor girl victim, said City Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar.

Among the seven new arrested persons, three had sexually assaulted the minor and four were engaged in arranging clients and introducing the victim to them. The accused were operating the racket from a penthouse on the fifth floor of an apartment building in Nandigudda. Other than the two minors, there were women above 18 years who are also the victims, in this case, he said.

“The officials from women and child development, child protection unit and child welfare committee are engaged in counselling another rescued minor victim. The victim is yet to submit a complaint. Once she files a complaint, few more persons are likely to be arrested,” he added.

Based on a complaint by a 17-year-old, a joint operation was conducted under the direction of Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar and DCP (law and order) Hariram Shankar, by the personnel of the women’s police station, child welfare committee, head of a PU college, women and child development department and childline in the first week of February.

The police are verifying the call records, WhatsApp chats, shared photos and others.

“After the complaint was registered, we have taken legal advice and also contacted senior police officers from neighbouring districts, wherein cases of prostitution using minors were registered,” said the commissioner.

The investigation is being conducted by CCB inspector Mahesh.

The arrested are Sandeep (33), a building contractor; Cyprian Andrade alias Praveen D’Souza (40), a building contractor; Mohammed Sharief alias Sharief (46), who is into real estate business; Rahmath (48), a housewife; Sana alias Asma, who is into mehandi design; Umar Kunhi (43), who runs a mutton stall and Mohammed Haneef (46), a fish seller. Of the seven arrested, Sandeep, Cyprian and Mohammed Sharief had sexually assaulted the minor.

After undergoing trauma and harassment from the hands of prime accused Shameena, the minor victim had brought the issue of harassment to the notice of her college lecturer, who in turn informed CWC, said sources.