Police say that the Karelibaug sex racket operating in the city was just the tip of the iceberg for a bigger network operating across the state.
On Saturday, the police arrested two men who were operating the racket and freed 5 sex workers from the place of operation in Karelibaug.
The two accused, Brajendra Gupta and Emtij Sheikh were arrested for bringing women from other cities to operate a prostitution racket in the city. The police acted on a tip received by the 181 women’s Abhayam helpline. The police joint forces with Abhayam officials to raid the third floor of the apartment where the operation was being carried out.
The apartment was taken on lease two months ago for residential purposes. The accused stayed there with the sex workers. Out of the women, two were from Kolkata, one is from Thane, and the fourth is from Mumbai and one was from Bangladesh.
The cops are investigating the method of operation of the two operators and a case has been filed against them under the Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act.
The two accused during their interrogation led to the arrest of another operator, a woman, who was operating her den from Chhani, who supplied them with girls. Two sex workers were freed from her place.
The police are exploring the possibility of a bigger more clandestine sex ring operating in the city.
