PANJIM: Almost two weeks since the North Goa Police, on a tip-off and information provided by the NGO ARZ, the main accused is still on the run and there appears to be a total go-slow approach in even questioning, leave alone arresting the owners of the guesthouses who allowed prostitution to continue in their premises, by victimising foreign women, abetted by a squad of international traffickers with local collusion.

All that the Anjuna Police Inspector could offer was that the Deputy Collector’s office has issued show cause notices to two of the guesthouses that are involved in the human trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation case. The Police are also looking for the main accused who is said to be changing his location while a team of police is involved in tracking him.

It is quite clear who is winning in this cat-and-mouse game. And it’s certainly not the police.

PI Prashal Desai informed that the name of one of the victim girls who hail from Kenya did not reflect in the C-form verification lists submitted by the guesthouses which have invited action against them. “The Deputy Collector will take a call on whether it is a case to shut these guesthouses for the violation,” he said.

But shockingly there was no mention of the far greater alleged crime committed, of allowing their premises for sexual exploitation and prostitution.

“Police keep gathering intelligence. However, in this case, the victims and the accused kept changing their locations between Bengaluru and Goa, making it difficult to keep track of,” he said.

This is nothing but an admission of admission, helplessness and allegedly even a complicit relationship.