On Friday, the Goa Police arrested Hafiz Sayed Bilal, a native of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh for running a high-profile prostitution racket in Sangolda village near Panaji. The Police busted the flesh trade chain and rescued three women from Telangana, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra.
According to the reports, one of the women rescued is a celebrated television artist. The incident came to light when the crime branch of Goa Police set a trap to nab the accused. The Police had already received information during patrolling that 26-year-old Hafiz Sayed Bilal was involved in a sex racket.
The accused was arrested in Panaji by The Crime Branch of Goa Police. pic.twitter.com/6DnPgdV7qQ
— ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2022
The Police then planted a fake customer and asked him to contact Bilal and supply women for pleasure. Bilal agreed to send three women for consideration of Rs 50,000 on Thursday near a reputed hotel at Sangolda. The accused was then caught red-handed and the women were rescued.
While the investigation process is underway, the Police have said that the three rescued women are between the age group of 30-40 years and are residents of Jharkhand, Telangana, and Maharashtra. One of the women is a celebrated TV artist from Virar near Mumbai.
It is important to note that according to the Indian Penal Code, certain activities which constitute a major part of prostitution are punishable under certain provisions of the act. The activities include- soliciting services of prostitution at public places, carrying out prostitution activities in hotels, being the owner of a brothel, pimping, indulging in prostitution by arranging a sex worker, and arrangement of a sexual act with a customer.
Earlier in November last year, the Anjuna Police had busted a prostitution racket at Arpora and had rescued four women all hailing from Maharashtra. The women were then sent to protective homes in Merces. Also in October last year, the Police had arrested Heena Pathan from Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, and two other men from Haryana for operating a flesh trade chain in Goa. According to the reports, the trio was operating the racket at a guest house in Colva and was living the earnings of the victims.
In the current case, the Police have arrested Hafiz Sayed Bilal who has reportedly confessed the crime. The investigation is underway.
