MARGAO, MARCH 24
In a significant order, the Sub-divisional Magistrate, Margao has ordered the closure of the Santos Guest house at Curotrim for a period of one year under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act for allegedly using the premise for the purpose of brothel.
SDM Johnson Fernandes has further directed the owner of the guest house not to lease the premises to the persons running the guest house.
Directions have been issued to the Maina Curtorim Police station incharge, PI Sidhant Shirodkar to take necessary measures to seal the premises by disconnecting the electricity, water and telephone connection of the Santosh guest house. Directions were also issued to the police to approach the Excise Department as well as the Tourism department for cancellation of excise license as well as for the de-recognition of the Guest House by the Tourism department, if any, in the name of the two persons.
In this case, PI Shirodkar has moved the court of SDM, Margao to close down the guest house on grounds that the respondents Anthony Dias and Andrew Cardozo forced three girls from Mumbai into prostitution. PI Shirodkar claimed that the business of prostitution was carried out in close proximity of religious place within the vicinity of public.
The respondents, however, had refuted the allegation made by PI Shirodkar as false and concocted and denied that the guest house was used as a brothel.
In his five page order, SDM Johnson Fernandes applauded the role of the investigating officer for taking the right perspective to organize a planned raid by planting decoys. “There has also been an act of exchange of money in the transaction which has led to the arrest of the first victim girl at Nuvem. The question of raiding the premises of Santos Guest house wouldn’t have been arisen unless concrete and credible information was received by the investigating officer”, Johnson said.
The SDM said though the respondents had submitted that the girls apprehended at Santos guest house were only seating in the bar, the information provided by the tout Ram Bahadur cannot be least overlooked as the latter had disclosed the presence of these girls at the guest house. “Indeed the finding of the three girls at the guest house by the Police officer corroborates with the statement of the tout. Further, there was no reason for keeping into possession obscene magazines and obscene pictures in a guest house for which no concrete justification is given by the defendants”, the SDM said, adding “in the prevailing circumstances, sexual exploitation has become a well organized racket which is deeply affecting the upcoming generation as well as diminishing social and moral values in society”.
“The morality of law would in no way accept the contention of the defendants that the finding at the guest house should be of such a nature that the victim girls have to be necessarily confined in closed rooms to give a colour of exploitation”, he said, adding that the efforts put by the Investigating officer in trying to book the culprits and more importantly the place used as a den for sexual exploitation is commendable.
