Mumbai: Observing that no leniency can be shown to accused just because they are senior citizens, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court recently turned down the bail application filed by a septuagenarian woman, who was booked for running a brothel. The woman was accused of exploiting needy women by forcing them to work as sex workers to earn money.
A bench of Justice V M Deshpande said, “In my view, merely because the applicant is a 70 year-old lady, she need not be shown any leniency.”
The observation was made while dismissing the argument of the advocate appearing for the old woman, who submitted that since she is a senior citizen and is booked under charges which have a maximum punishment of seven years, she should be given bail.
The woman was picked up by Washim City Police last year after a raid on her house wherein three women were found to be serving as sex workers. This was confirmed by sending decoy customers to the house.
Referring to the raid, Justice Deshpande said, “It appears that the three girls are major and their statements show that on their own, they would never have entered the profession of prostitution. It reveals that they were in dire need of money and therefore, they approached the accused for help.”
“It further reveals that the accused asked them to do the job of prostitution and only then would they get paid. Thus, in order to get money to meet their daily needs, on the allurement and enticement by the accused, the girls entered prostitution, selling their bodies to greedy persons who are always there to exploit ladies by throwing money,” Justice Deshpande noted.
The court further considered the fact that the accused woman did not give the women all their earnings but instead, kept a major share for herself. “Thus, in my view, the act and conduct on the part of the accused is nothing but exploitation of needy women,” Justice Deshpande said, while rejecting the bail plea.
