"She came to the hotel with three actresses."
Mumbai Police have busted a “high-profile glamour sex racket” that was being operated out of a three-star hotel in Andheri, north Mumbai.
Upon raiding the premise, police rescued three television actresses, including a minor.
Police took action based on a tip-off that women were available for sexual favours, costing Rs. 1 Lakh (£1,080).
On January 16, 2020, police raided the Dragonfly Hotel and arrested 29-year-old Priya Sharma for running the sex racket. Meanwhile, the three actresses were rescued.
An undercover officer had posed as a customer and had requested a sex worker from Sharma. At that point, a police team entered and caught her red-handed.
One of the actresses was a minor. All three worked in TV shows. One of the actresses worked in a Marathi TV series while another featured on successful crime show Savdhaan India.
Social Service Branch Inspector Sandesh Revale said:
“We have arrested one woman, Priya Sharma, 29, who was operating the racket and supplying the girls for Rs. 100,000.
“Three other associates, Aavesh, Vinay and Kuldeep are based in New Delhi and are absconding and we are on the lookout for them.”
Police have said that Sharma operated the sex racket under the guise of her travel agency, Vinayak Vacations and Holidays.
The three men who are on the run acted as brokers during the operation. They helped Sharma lure young women into the sex racket.
Another police officer explained: “We used some of our constables as a decoy. Posing themselves as customers, they established contact with the mistress and called her to the hotel to strike a deal.
“She came to the hotel with three actresses. At the hotel, our team arrested accused mistress and rescued three actresses, including a minor girl.”
Sharma and the three fugitives have been booked under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act and various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
This is the second sex racket busted by the Mumbai Police within the space of two days.
On January 15, 2020, police arrested smalltime Bollywood casting director Navinkumar Arya for operating one. Two actresses were rescued.
While Arya was arrested, police are searching for his associates, Vijay and Ajay Sharma, who went on the run.
Police believe that their arrests may lead to more details about the operation, where women were supplied for Rs. 60,000 (£650).
Even though two sex rackets were busted, many more continue to operate throughout India.
Police have stated that prominent figures within the corporate and showbiz world are involved, as well as many high-end customers in Mumbai, New Delhi and Kolkata.
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