New Delhi, March 29: On March 19, Delhi Police received a distress call from a woman claiming she had been kidnapped. Upon arrival at the scene, the woman recounted a chilling tale of a man who lured her to a flat in Vasant Kunj under the guise of a job offer at a beauty salon. Instead, she was held captive and “offered” to clients across Delhi-NCR for a substantial sum. A subsequent raid on the flat led to the rescue of another woman who had been deceived in a similar manner.

Indian Express reported that the police suspect that the accused, identified as Y Prem Chandra Meetei, a 36-year-old MBA graduate from Manipur residing in Kishangarh, Rajasthan, has targeted over 100 victims over the past year from various parts of the country, including Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Himachal Pradesh. The modus operandi was consistent: the man would post job advertisements, typically for receptionist or secretary positions, and upon the woman’s arrival at the flat, he would hold her captive and force her into the sex trade. ‘Travelling Sex’ Racket Busted in Bengaluru: Police Bust ‘Trip Prostitution’ Racket, Two Married Couples Arrested.

The police are currently investigating whether Meetei was operating alone or had accomplices. Meetei, who had rented a 3-BHK flat in Vasant Kunj for Rs 40,000 to run his illicit operation, was arrested earlier this week following a series of raids on his hideout in Delhi. Sex Racket Busted in Pune: Police Bust Prostitution Racket Run by Thai Woman in Koregaon Park, Rescue Two Victims.

The police have since identified another victim, a woman from Himachal Pradesh, who was lured to Meetei’s house in Kishangarh under the pretense of a job and was subsequently assaulted. The accused allegedly took explicit photos of the woman and threatened to publicize them if she did not comply with his demands. To date, seven bank accounts have been discovered, one of which had transactions amounting to more than Rs 22 lakh.

An officer stated, “We suspect more than 100 girls have been duped…the accused used to receive Rs 15,000-Rs 20,000 from each client…statements of neighbours have been taken and the landlord of the accused has also been served notice.” A case under IPC section 370 (Trafficking of persons) has been lodged against the accused. The investigation is ongoing.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 29, 2024 09:53 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).