Police bust prostitution racket in Thane, rescue TV actor
What's the story
A 35-year-old television actor was rescued from a human trafficking and prostitution racket in Maharashtra's Thane district on Sunday, reported PTI. The operation, led by local police, was initiated after receiving a tip-off from an NGO. A woman named Tabassum alias Sonia Umar Qureshi (39) has been arrested in connection with the case while a search is underway for her male associate.
Operation details
Police sent decoy customer to hotel
On October 8, police acted on a tip-off from an NGO and sent a decoy customer to a hotel on Mira-Bhayander Road.
They later conducted a raid and caught Qureshi accepting money for allegedly forcing women into prostitution.
The rescued actor, who works in Hindi serials and web series, has been placed under protective custody at the Rescue Foundation in Mumbai.
Legal action
Qureshi booked under relevant sections
Qureshi, who hails from Surguja district in Chhattisgarh and currently resides at Jogeshwari in Mumbai, was arrested and booked under Section 143 (human trafficking) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita as well as provisions of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.
The police said she and her male associate allegedly forced women working in TV serials, web series, and photoshoots into prostitution.