The Delhi Police arrested four men last week for allegedly running a prostitution racket and forcing several minor girls into the flesh trade in an East Delhi locality, officials said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Amrutha Guguloth said that the police learnt about the racket being run inside a flat after a minor lodged a complaint. The police identified the accused and said that while four have been arrested, the others are absconding. The minor told the police that she stayed with her family in a rented house in the area. Her family’s financial condition had deteriorated after the Covid-19 lockdowns and in 2021, she came in contact with a woman who offered her a job as a domestic help at her house, the DCP said. “But after some days, she started calling different men to her house who had physical relations with her [the minor] against her will and paid the woman. When she demanded money, the woman threatened to kill her,” the DCP added. Around 10 months ago, the minor met another woman, who allegedly told her that she arranged jobs for girls. “She introduced her to one of the accused who said he will get her a job and asked her to come to a flat at 6 pm the next day,” the DCP said. According to the police, when the minor reached the flat, the woman and the accused were there. Later, another accused allegedly came to the flat with a man and said that he had given Rs 5,000 to the accused to have sexual relations with the minor, the police said. The woman and one of the arrested accused allegedly threatened to kill the minor if she revealed the information to anybody and asked her to come to the flat every day. “Being scared, she used to go there daily.the accused used to divide the money amongst themselves and other girls were also forced into sex work,” a police official said. A case has been registered under charges related to rape under the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
