PUNE: The Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of the Pune City Crime Branch rescued nine women and arrested two men, including a lodge manager, during raids on two lodges allegedly used for prostitution in Ambegaon Budruk near Navale Bridge, police said on Tuesday.
Event Context
Acting on a tip-off received on Monday, July 20, the AHTU conducted surveillance and verified the information through a decoy customer before simultaneously raiding Sai Kiran Lodge and Galaxy Lodge on the Ambegaon-Katraj Road under the supervision of Police Inspector Ashalata Khapre.
Police rescued nine women allegedly being exploited for commercial sex.
The arrested accused were identified as Rakesh Raju Patole (27), an autorickshaw driver from Ganesh Nagar, Dhayari, who allegedly acted as a facilitator, and Mangesh Vyankat Bansode, manager of Galaxy Lodge. Police said another suspect is under investigation.
Based on a complaint, Ambegaon police registered an FIR on Tuesday, July 21 under Sections 143(1) and 143(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 4 and 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956.
Police said the rescued women have been produced before the appropriate authorities for rehabilitation and counselling. Further investigation is underway to identify other suspects and ascertain whether a larger human trafficking network was operating from the lodges.
