Khushi Maheshwari, Pune
The Anti-Human Trafficking Cell (AHTC) of the Thane Crime Branch has caught Manish Dadhich and his female accomplice after exposing a huge prostitution racket in Bhiwandi, rescuing two victims of the trafficking in the process. The main criminal is popularly known as Hookah King. The circuit spread through Goa, Mumbai, and Thane utilized hookah bars/parlors as the guise for an elaborate prostitution racket.
The AHTC not only caught the key suspects for the racket red handed but in turn rescued two girls, ages 19 and 20, who were stuck in the whirlpool of this prostitution network. The traffickers have allegedly been dispensing women to their customers for the past 1-2 years.
The bust was made successful after Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime, Shivraj Patil got tipped off by social activist Dr. Binu Varghese. DCP Patil informed that the extensive network had been operational for almost a year, and that the accused would oversee everything. He also added that the traffickers would use messaging platforms like WhatsApp to communicate with their clients and send photographs of the girls to grow their illegal business via technology.
In a village in Themghar called Bhadwad, the Senior PI of Thane City AHTC, Chetna Chaudhary and her squad initiated undercover operations based on a tip off given by sources that were taken into account for the operation. The information mentioned that the girls were going to be transported for prostitution within the vicinity of Sai baba hotel, right across the Sai Baba temple. This area is under the authority of Shanti Nagar Police station in Bhiwandi. The police officers conducted the operation by disguising themselves as regulars in the area.
The operation was deemed a success as they concluded the operation by detaining both of the lead culprits – the male hookah agent and his female partner in crime.
The social activist, Dr. Varghese mentioned that the accused had associations with famous people and celebrities and would exploit the naiveness by telling them that he knows a lot of celebrities and offering to introduce them to the celebrities. The girls would agree and get stuck in their web of lies.
The rescued victims have been admitted into a women’s rehabilitation center while legal action is underway for the accused.