Mumbai: Vinoba Bhave Nagar Police have arrested a 45-year-old woman for allegedly forcing two minors into prostitution. The woman, identified as Nasreem Chaudhary, had allegedly been blackmailing the girls, aged 14 and 17, with their bathing videos. While with Nasreem, one of the girls reportedly had a positive pregnancy test and Nasreem allegedly made her undergo abortion.
The incident came to light on Saturday when the mother of the 14-year-old girl spotted her roaming near Sion and asked her where she had been for the past few months, the girl narrated her ordeal. The mother then took her to Nasreem's house in Kurla, where she confronted her. An argument broke out between the two women and police were called in to sort out the matter. After learning about the incident, V B Nagar Police registered an offence against Nasreem.
She was arrested under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections of procuration of minor girl (366 A), buying or disposing of any person as a slave (370), watching or capturing the image of a woman engaging in a private act (354 C), whoever voluntarily causes a woman with child to miscarry (312) and under the sections of Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) act.
Around two months ago, the girls, who were friends, both residents of Shivaji Nagar and from dysfunctional families, had fled from their respective homes, following a dispute. They first went to Haji Malang in Kalyan and then returned to the city. At Bandra Reclamation, they met a transgender, who took them to Nasreem's place in Kurla.
According to police, when the girls were at Nasreem's house, she allegedly recorded separate videos of the girls while they were bathing and started to blackmail them. She threatened to make the videos viral unless they did as she said. Nasreem then allegedly forced them into prostitution, police said.
Recently, Nasreem threw them out of her house, saying she was expecting guests for Eid. One of the girls returned home while another kept loitering. Last Saturday, her mother spotted her near Sion and the entire incident came to light.
"After the incident was reported, we arrested the accused on Saturday and she is in our custody until Wednesday, " said Rajesh Pawar, senior inspector, V B Nagar police station.
