In a major crackdown in the red-light area of Budhwar Peth, the Faraskhana Police have busted a prostitution racket and sealed four flats allegedly used for running brothels and illegal activities. The action was taken by Krushikesh Rawale, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1), following a detailed investigation into an ongoing case registered earlier this year.
According to the police, a case has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, and the POCSO Act. The investigation is being led by in-charge officer Prashant Bharme, Senior Police Inspector of Faraskhana Police Station.
Krushikesh Rawale, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1), speaking to The Free Press Journal, said that during the probe, police identified several properties being used for illegal activities. Based on a proposal sent to Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, orders were issued to seal the premises. Accordingly, four flats located in Begum Building, New Welcome Building, and an old wada in Dane Ali were sealed for a period of one year.
The sealed properties include a flat on the third floor of Begum Building, two flats in New Welcome Building, and a room in a wada near a local shop in Dane Ali, all situated in Budhwar Peth.
Rawale said that in a parallel operation, a special team was formed to identify illegal foreign nationals operating in the area. Based on confidential inputs, police conducted a raid in Budhwar Peth and detained three Bangladeshi women. During questioning, it was revealed that the women had been staying illegally in India for the past month without valid documents and were allegedly engaged in prostitution for a livelihood.
Police have taken the women into custody after verifying their Bangladeshi nationality, and further legal action is underway.
Strict action will continue against those running illegal brothels and aiding such activities in the city, Rawale concluded.
