Thane: The Thane Sessions Court has convicted a 40-year-old woman for forcing a minor into prostitution. The woman, whose name is being withheld to protect the victim’s identity, was arrested in 2021 following a raid by the Thane Economic Offences Wing (EOW), which sent activist Binu Varghese as a bogus customer.
The arrest stemmed from an undercover operation where police created a "bogus customer" who was sent to a location where the accused allegedly held the minor child.
During the meeting, the minor girl told the bogus customer that she was a tenth-grade student. She revealed that her mother, the accused in this case, had instructed her to earn money through prostitution to support the family.
Further investigation revealed the accused's wider operation. The girl disclosed that even though she resided in Goregaon, the accused would transport both minor and adult women, without their consent, to a Thane-based hotel whenever customers requested.
In its order, the court emphasized the gravity of the crime: "Two minor girls were used in the business of prostitution. They were induced by [the] accused. At the time of [the] raid, two minor girls [were] found on the place. Decoy money was seized… [The] accused has indulged two minor girls in the business of prostitution."
The court acknowledged that the raid prevented any "untoward incident" from occurring with the minor girl. However, it stressed that the immediate action was crucial, stating, "If the raid was not effected immediately, definitely they would have been indulged into prostitution. Considering this fact and [the] seriousness of the offence, this is not the case to show leniency to the accused."
