MCOCA may be invoked in sex racket

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MUMBAI: The V P Road police are likely to invoke the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against a woman who allegedly forced 18 girls into prostitution. If MCOCA is applied, it would become the first such case under the stringent law. MCOCA is commonly used against gangsters and terrorists by the Maharashtra police.

Anil Kumbhare, deputy commissioner of police, confirmed the report saying, "The suspect, Lakshmi Amma, had forced more than a dozen girls into flesh trade. She has been wanted in seven cases and works with various people. We are going to use MCOCA against her."

Amma, now 55, was arrested by the Nagpada police and handed over to the V P Road police. "In the month of June, we rescued four girls, all from Bangalore and the neighboring villages. The information procured from these girls led us to a bigger racket," said Rajendra Chavan, senior-inspector of the V P Road police station. According to Chavan, when they got information about the hideouts of the suspect, a team comprising inspectors Gulabrao Gore, Shrikant Desai, Wishvas Kahayap and staff raided a building in the V P Road area and rescued 14 girls who were forced into prostitution. The suspect is currently facing charges under the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA).

Amma, said the police, had been a commercial sex worker for more than 20 years. She came to Mumbai from Karnataka along with her mentor and got involved in the flesh trade. "Now, she provides girls to brothel owners in the city on a hefty commission," said a police officer. All the rescued girls are around 20 years old. "Amma's agents work in Andhra Pradesh and lure the girls with the bait of good jobs such as beautician, sales girls in shopping malls, house maids in rich people's flats and so on and bring them to Mumbai. Later, these girls are handed over to brothel owners," said another officer.

The raid was conducted jointly by activists of International Justice Mission (IJM) and the police.

If MCOCA is applied, this would become the first such case under the stringent law. MCOCA is usually used against gangsters & terrorists. Source