Nagpur: In a major crackdown on human trafficking, the Social Security Branch (SSB) of the Nagpur City Police Crime Branch busted an alleged prostitution racket being operated through a mobile application and rescued five women, including two from Uzbekistan, during a late-night raid on Saturday. The action was conducted under Ambazari Police Station.
The operation was launched after the SSB received specific information that a group was arranging women for commercial sexual exploitation through the mobile application “Login Personal Meeting.”To verify the information, the Crime Branch deployed a decoy customer before conducting a raid at around 10:48 pm on the public road outside Hotel Petal Inn in Gokulpeth in the presence of two independent witnesses.
During the raid, police rescued five women who were allegedly being forced into prostitution. The rescued victims include two women from Uzbekistan and three women from Punjab, Delhi, and Kolkata. According to investigators, the accused lured the women with promises of quick earnings and allegedly exploited them by supplying them to customers in exchange for money.
Police arrested Sachin Manikrao Mahajan (38), a resident of Bhavaninagar on Poona Road in Nagpur, in connection with the racket.
Three other accused have been identified and are currently absconding. They have been named as Sameer alias Manish alias Gagan Thakur, Rahul, and a woman identified as Pooja. Police have launched a search to trace and arrest them.
A case has been registered at Ambazari Police Station under Section 143(2)(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) along with Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956.
During the operation, police seized property worth ₹5.18 lakh, including a Swift Dzire car valued at ₹5 lakh, a mobile phone worth ₹10,000, and ₹8,000 in cash.
The raid was conducted by HC Ram Nirgudwar, NPC Sheshrao Raut, PC Ashish Mange, Kunal Masram, Sameer Sheikh, WHC Aarti Chauhan, WPA Poonam Shende, Ashwini Khodpewar.
Police said further investigation is underway to identify the entire network behind the racket and determine whether it has links to inter-state or international human trafficking. Efforts are also underway to apprehend the remaining accused.
