Escort Service in Assam: How Crime Branch Busted An Interstate Sex Racket; All Details Here

It added that the sex racket was suspected to be ongoing in Hotel Minerva, Panbazar

Time8 Webdesk
August 10, 2021
5:21 pm

Guwahati: Assam police crime branch has successfully busted an online escort service racket operating in the city and nabbed at least three persons including the kingpin.

Earlier, TIME8 has also reported that a number of twitter handle and other social media accounts were offering escort service for several towns and city.

On Tuesday, state police said that the sex racket was a part of an inter-state prostitution racket. Police sources said, “Over the last few days, the social media cell of police Commissionerate, Guwahati came across some Twitter handles and websites claiming to provide escort services in Guwahati and other cities of Assam. Analysis revealed connected mobile numbers with other details and preliminary enquiries revealed the involvement of an inter-state gang in the possible prostitution racket.”

Accordingly crime branch had registered a cases on August 5, under sections of 292/371 IPC R/W Sec. 67/67 (A) IT Act.

“Technical analysis led the crime branch to discover the complicity of one Nayanmoni Patowary, manager of Hotel Minerva, Panbazar in running the racket. The person was picked up on August 5. Startling facts came to light during the quizzing of Patowary, who revealed that one Saneep Kumar alias Mukul Bhardwaj alias Bambam was the main kingpin of the racket. It was also learnt that this Mukul Bhardwaj was running the prostitution racket along with his wife, one Diya Sarmah alias Junaki Begum. The culprits used to communicate with the potential customers via social media or other online methods to fix the date, girls and rate,” a statement from state police added.

It added that the sex racket was suspected to be ongoing in Hotel Minerva, Panbazar or in one of the rooms rented by Mukul Bhardwaj in Jiyabharali Apartment. In this process all the accused got commissions.

Police said, “Crime branch team apprehended Diya Sarmah alias Junaki Begum from Patharquari under Noonmati PS on August 6. Mukul Bhardwaj was still at large and his exact whereabouts were not known. Even his wife claimed not to know his current whereabouts and address. Technical analysis of mobile numbers used by the main kingpin Mukul Bharadwaj revealed several addresses ranging from Delhi to Bihar to Maharashtra. The team discovered the use of at least 10-15 mobile numbers by the accused.”

However, with consistent efforts through technical and human intelligence succeeded in narrowing the location of the accused down to Lakhisarai district of Bihar. A crime branch team dispatched to Lakhisarai and successfully nabbed him on August 8.

Preliminary on the spot technical analysis and questioning revealed that the said Mukul Bharadwaj could be operating similar prostitution rackets in various other places also.

The accused was being brought to Guwahati while filling of this report.