PANJIM: The Pernem police busted an alleged prostitution racket run in the guise of running a ‘mujra’ for high-profile clientele at the resort in Ashvem-Mandrem, arrested two accused and rescued two victims from North India.
Pernem DySP Jivba Dalvi said the police raided the resort on January 17 and the owner Vijay Kumar Sarkar, 44, a native of Jharkhand and his assistant Ajit Kumar Jha from Bihar were arrested for allegedly running the sex racket.
Dalvi said that upon receiving information, a team consisting of PI Sachin Lokre and PI Narayan Chimulkar of Mopa Airport police station and the staff along with members of NGO ARZ Juliana Lohar and Shayori Banerjee raided the resort.
Police successfully rescued two girls aged between 24 and 26. Also collected digital records and photographs of the victims, including online payment done to the accused.
The police also prima facie suspected the accused were involved in arranging mujra for the wealthy customers.
“The young women were made to dance before wealthy male customers after which they were subjected to sexual exploitation,” said Dalvi.
CCTV footage and other documents have been taken into custody. The guests, who were suspected to have attended the mujras, will be summoned for investigation, Dalvi said.
Both the accused were produced before Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Pernem, who remanded them in 10 days police custody, while the victims have been sent to a Protective Home in Merces. Police are also on the hunt for more accused.
Dalvi also stated that the police have written to the magistrate to seal the resort on the grounds that the resort has been used as a brothel Under Section 18 of the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act 1956.
Further investigations are in progress with PI Sachin Lokre under the supervision of Dy SP Dalvi and SP North, Nidhin Valsan, IPS.
