In Maharashtra’s Palghar, police busted a sex racket whose network spans across Mumbai and other parts of India. Mira Bhayander-Vasai Virar police (MBVV Police) busted this sex racket being run by a Bangladeshi national in the Virar area in the Palghar district on Friday (8th December). Three Bangladeshi girls, including a minor, were rescued by the police, officials said. In the interrogation of that Bangladeshi national, it was revealed that he has trapped and trafficked more than 200 girls in prostitution so far.
Police received a tip-off that Ashok Harnu Das (54), a Bangladeshi national, was running a sex racket at his house in Arnala in Virar along with three women illegally brought from Bangladesh. The police started keeping a watch on him and laid a trap to catch him. After being caught, Das confessed before the police that he had trapped around 200-250 girls and sold them. He was also sending them to the red-light areas of Grant Road in south Mumbai.
Trap laid to bust the sex racket
Police officer Santosh Chaudhary and people from an NGO went to his hideout posing as fake customers and after the deal was finalised, the team raided Das’s flat in MHADA Colony, Building No. 7 on Friday. Police arrested Das and rescued three Bangladeshi girls, including a 17-year-old girl, from his clutches.
Santosh Chaudhary said his team first contacted Das. Accused Das sent them pictures of the two women on WhatsApp and also said that another minor girl aged 17 years would be available at the flat. Das said it would cost Rs 10000 for them to avail the girl.
During interrogation after his arrest, Das revealed that he had come to Virar from Dhaka with his family around 15 years ago and was working in Mumbai. He later came in contact with some human traffickers and pimps named Manoj Yadav and Basu who were working in red-light areas of south Mumbai. He then started buying and supplying girls for the flesh trade. Police have registered a case and started an investigation. DSP Ambure said that a case is booked against Das under various sections of the IPC, the Indian Passport Act and the Foreign Nationals Act.
