The Mumbai Police Crime Branch has busted a well-organised flesh trade racket being run under the guise of a spa in Saki Naka, complete with a ‘call centre’ in Lower Parel. Three girls have been rescued and one person arrested in the case.
According to Crime Branch officials, the lid was blown off the racket after police inspector Asha Korke with the Crime Branch Unit 9 was tipped-off about it.
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She conveyed it to her superiors, after which raids were conducted at two locations under the leadership of senior police inspector Mahesh Desai on Monday.
The first raid was conducted at the Peninsula Grand Hotel in Saki Naka, while the other was conducted at the Rajnish Wellness Ltd. in Marathon Icon Tower in Lower Parel.
“Three girls who had been put to work in the racket were rescued, while the main accused and five call operators were taken into custody,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Detection I) Akbar Pathan said.
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The accused, Rajnish Singh (31), was found to be a history-sheeter, with several similar cases registered against him. Officers said he was running similar rackets out of spas based in the northern suburbs in Mumbai, which were shut after police raids.
“The accused would place advertisements in newspapers and send out promotional text messages. Customers would call the numbers mentioned therein and speak to the call operators, who would put them in touch with the three girls, saying they were masseuses. Once the customers got in touch with the girls, they would be lured into seeking flesh trade services,” an officer who is part of the investigation said.
Mr. Pathan said the role of the five call operators is still being examined.
₹4.7 lakh seized
“The racket has been active for the past one year. We have seized ₹4.7 lakh in cash and are conducting further investigations,” Mr. Pathan said.
Mr. Singh has been charged with exploitation for prostitution under the Indian Penal Code, along with relevant sections of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act.