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PONDA: Ponda Police on Friday arrested the main accused in connection with the immoral trafficking case in Ponda.
According to reports, Mohammad Maqsood Rehman (28), known as Babu Bengali, was arrested by the women’s police station at Panjim after a girl complained that the accused had harassed her.
The accused, a native of Kolkata in West Bengal but residing at Panjim, was arrested after a brief scuffle with the police team headed by PSI Paresh Navelkar from Old Goa.
“After the case, we had sent wireless to all police stations and on Friday, the Women’s Police arrested the accused and handed him to us. It is learnt that there are several similar cases against the accused in other police stations in the State,” Ponda PI C L Patil told media-persons.
It may be recalled that Ponda Police had arrested two persons after a complaint was filed by the victim girl from Pune. Virendra Kannur and Smitha alias Pooja alias Pinky Kanaskar, a native of Mumbai were arrested.
Kannur had allegedly kept the girl at his rented flat at Warkhande-Ponda for prostitution. The girl was later shifted to a flat in Margao.
The other accused, Kanaskar, was allegedly into the business of supplying girls for prostitution.
The girl had claimed that one Babu Bengali had taken her to various hotels in south Goa for the purpose of prostitution. The victim was reportedly rescued from a woman from South Goa by the Ponda Shiv Sena unit.
“Babu is said to be a pimp and according to our information, he is into this business since the last 5-6 years. We are investigating to find more information from the accused,” informed PI Patil.
“Babu was identified based on the photo obtained from the other accused, Kannur, with whom the victim was kept at Warkhande. The victim had also identified the photo of Babu,” added PI Patil.
