Two employees of a lodge were sentenced to seven years’ rigorous imprisonment by Thane Assistant Sessions Judge Mridula Bhatia, after being found guilty of running a flesh trade racket.
The judge found waiter Prabhadas Srikrupanath Jha alias Pappu and cashier-cum-manager Leo Walter Joseph Menezes guilty under Section 3(1) as well as Section 4(1) of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA).
Additionally, the judge found Prabhadas guilty under Sections 5(1)(a), Section 5(1)(b) and Section 7(2) of PITA, as well as Section 366-A, Section 372 and Section 373 of the Indian Penal code.
The duo were convicted and sentenced to seven years’ rigorous imprisonment as well as a fine of Rs 2,000 each.
In her judgement, the judge stated that the fine amount collected must be paid as compensation to the four girls, who were rescued from the lodge.
In her order, the judge stated, “In addition, this court hereby recommends further compensation to the girls, under Section 357(A) of the Code of Criminal Procedure from the District Legal Service Authority (DLSA). The DLSA shall decide the quantum of compensation to be awarded under the scheme as referred to in Section 357(A)(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code, within four weeks from today”.
“The said amount be disbursed within a period of eight weeks from today,” the court ordered.
Prosecutor Buleshwar Hinge, told the court that the accused and the absconding accused were caught by the Thane district rural police at Mira Road at a lodge on March 11, 2013, while they were running a prostitution racket.
The court was told that the police booked a total of seven accused in the case, out of which four suppliers of girls are still at large.
