Mumbai: The city crime branch rescued a 15-year-old class 9 girl from a prostitution racket that was busted on Saturday night. During the raid, crime branch arrested two people and rescued two women along with the girl.
"The accused Tushar Daruwala, 53, and Afrin Salim Khan, 25, both are residents of Virar. They try to convince school going girls by promising to provide lucrative money and force them into prostitution," said an officer.
According to the police, Daruwala, a car dealer and Khan were running the prostitution racket for a few years and assured to their customers a supply of school girls. Daruwala dealt with the customers, while Khan targeted the victims.
"The girl was targeted by Khan when she was coming from school few months ago. First he befriended her and then lured her into the prostitution racket by showing her easy money. She was assured of Rs 30,000 per day," said an officer.
"A policeman, through a dummy customer, negotiated with Daruwala, who asked Rs 15,000 for a major woman and Rs 40,000 for a minor girl for per day," said police inspector Sagar Sivalkar of unit 12.
As per the conversation, the meeting spot was decided as Oberoi Mall in Malad. On Saturday night, crime branch officers, including Sachin Gavas, Atul Dahake and Vikramsingh Kadam, Atul Awhad, Harish Pol and Hemant Gite, and staff laid a trap and apprehended the two. During the raid, two women and a minor were rescued.
Both the accused have been arrested under charges of 370 (3) (Immoral Trafficking Act) 372, (selling minor for purposes of prostitution) and common intention of the Indian Penal Code, including Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA).
