Flesh trade racket: 65-year-old from Pimpri’s River Road arrested

Talreja’s name was revealed during the interrogation of Jaywanti alias Hema Mohan Khemwani (49),also a resident of Pimpri,who was arrested in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

Investigations by the Ahmedabad police had revealed that Khemwani,a resident of River Road in Pimpri and her alleged partner Talreja,who lives near Laxmi Dharmashala in Pimpri,have allegedly forced many schoolgirls into flesh trade. One of the girls was sold to an Arab national for Rs 80 lakh. However,the police are yet to confirm whether the suspects have actually sold a girl for such a high cost.

A crime branch team of Ahmedabad police,led by inspector B D Waghela,reached Pune with Khemwani on Friday morning. Around 5 pm,the police team arrested her accomplice Kamala Talreja. Following this,the Ahmedabad police and a team of Pune police crime branch,comprising sub inspectors Rajendra Bahirat,Dattraya Gadhve,searched residences of Khemwani and Talreja.

The police said that nothing significant was recovered during the search. It was yet to be confirmed if the suspects have sold any girls from Pune. The suspects were brought to the Pune police commissionerate in the evening. Investigations are on to know if big names are associated with the racket.

The police said that Khemwani and Talreja come from well-to-do families. Khemwani’s husband runs a footwear business,while Talreja’s family is into electronic goods business.

A few days ago,Khemwani went to her brother’s place at Sardar Nagar in Ahmedabad. She approached a person,who turned out to be a police informer,with an offer of supplying minor girls. He however tipped-off the police.

The police said Khemwani allegedly asked three schoolgirls at Sardar Nagar to attend prayers at her home. As the girls were unwilling,she allegedly forced them to come along. When the girls refused,she managed to force two of them to go along. However,one managed to escape. The police nabbed her with the girl from Indira Nagar area on Tuesday.

Assistant commissioner of police,Ahmedabad Usha Rada had told The Indian Express that the suspects were forcing schoolgirls from good families into sex trade.