"they were hired to dance at a birthday party"
A sex racket which has been exploiting drunk minor girls has been busted by police in Madhya Pradesh.
The girls had been forced to drink alcohol until they were inebriated. They were then hired to dance at late-night parties where high-profile people in Bhopal attended.
The matter came to light on July 12, 2020. Police have booked the owner of a Bhopal-based newspaper for the rape of a minor girl.
Police have identified the accused as 68-year-old Pyare Mian.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chohan has directed his officials to get two government houses belonging to Mian vacated immediately.
Bhopal Police has announced a reward of Rs. 10,000 (£100) for information on Mian’s whereabouts.
According to police, officers had been on patrol at 3 am when they found six girls, aged between 14 and 17, walking in the street. When they questioned them, they found that they were drunk.
The girls were handed over to the city childline where they received counselling.
When questioned, the girls revealed that they had been forced into a sex racket. They said that they had been at a party in Shahpura where they were made to consume alcohol.
The victims revealed that they had been hired by Mian’s 21-year-old assistant Sweety.
One girl alleged that Mian had raped her.
An officer said: “The minor girls in their statements have revealed that they were hired to dance at a birthday party in the Shahpura area on Saturday night.”
In their statements, the girls said that they have attended numerous parties in the past where they were forced to drink alcohol.
DIG Irshad Wali said that a case was registered against Mian and Sweety under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Sweety was arrested and when interrogated, she revealed the names of several agents who she had hired the girls from.
Police subsequently raided the flat where the party took place.
Several police teams have been formed to arrest Mian who remains on the run.
Police have said that the party exposed the sex racket but have stated that the investigation is ongoing.
Since registering the case, the names of many more people involved in the sex racket have come to light.
Police are currently working to find out how many girls have been exploited as well as the number of girls who have been sexually abused by Mian.