Pune: Man gets call to join gigolo club, lodges complaint with cyber cell

Cops say such rackets active in the city in guise of friendship clubs.

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A man from Pune, working with a prominent private company, recently got a call on his cellphone from a woman offering to pay him for joining a “Gigolo club”. The youth, Pravin (name changed), filed a complaint with cyber cell of the Pune city police.

“I got a call on my cellphone around 10.30 am on July 23, 2016. The caller, a woman, was speaking Marathi. She first told me they had a club named Gigolo club, which offered free massage to people. She then directly told me that if I established physical relationship with some women in the city, they would pay me. I asked the woman her name and Aadhar number and whether making such random calls to public was legal. She said it was. I cut the call in anger after a conversation of just over two minutes,” Pravin (30) told The Indian Express.
He said this was the first time he had received such a call. “It was not only shocking but also worrying if youngsters fall prey to such rackets. So I wrote down my experience and circulated it on social media to make people aware of such wrong practices,” he said.

After discussion with some friends who read his message, Pravin decided to inform the police about the incident. “Last week, I wrote to the cyber cell of police through email about my experience and also shared the mobile number from which I had received the call. I hope the police probe this number to reach the culprits,” he said.

Deputy commissioner of police (cyber cell) Deepak Sakore said they were looking into this matter. Sakore said that while the cyber cell had not received such a complaint in the past where someone got a direct such call, police officers knew about gigolo rackets being active in Pune in the guise of friendship clubs.

“Information about such clubs are spread through advertisements in certain newspapers, websites and social media services. Also, there have been incidents in which men were asked to pay some money as registration fees on assurance of meetings with women. But after the money is paid, there is no further contact. The men who are cheated rarely come forward to lodge complaints,” an officer said, adding that people should come forward with complaints in such cases and that their identities would be kept confidential.

Lack of female decoy hampers police probe

A police officer, who has earlier worked with the crime branch of Pune city police, said, “We received information from sources about a possible gigolo racket, where in some agents were supplying males for prostitution. We spoke to legal experts who said it was an offence under sections of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA). But we could not bust this racket as we were not able to hire a female decoy for laying the trap.”

The officer said racketeers tried to lure males by offering money and claiming that male prostitution was legal. “Also, the racketeers make it look like adult males and females are willingly coming together, which is not illegal. So, it becomes difficult for the police to take action,” the officer said.

Chandan Haygunde

Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs. Professional Profile Specialization: He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape. Awards and Recognition: He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve. He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry. 1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases “Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025). Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links. “The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025) Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas. “How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025) After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital. “A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025). Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train. “No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025) Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence. 2. Inter-state firearms racket "Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025) "Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025) Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh 3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams “Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025) An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country ‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025) Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds Signature Style: The Investigative Hit Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers. X (Twitter): @chandan_pune ... Read More

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