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Cops involved in child prostitution
July 15, 2004
Mumbai - Though the city police have launched a drive to curb child
prostitution in Mumbai, social activists alleged that it cannot flourish
without the connivance of policemen.
Social activist Anson Thomas, who has accompanied the police in at least 14
raids at brothels in Nagpada and D B Marg areas, alleged that some constables
and sub-inspectors are known for taking bribes directly from minors.
“I have seen constables accepting bribes from child prostitutes near GPOin
south Mumbai,’’ he said. Priti Patkar, who works for the NGO Prerana, said
there was a need to sensitise officers at police stations on the child
prostitution menace.
However, she lauded the steps taken by police chief A N Roy to start a study
circle at the police headquarters where two officers from each police station
interact with NGOs and officers from social service branch regularly.
“The purpose is to sensitise the staff about issues related to child
prostitution and train them in tackling the menace. The officers are also
taught proper procedure to ensure that the minors rescued do not land back in
the brothels,’’ said Patkar.
In many cases, the police rescued minors, but subsequently declared them as
‘majors’ before releasing them. A few years ago, DCP Rajnish Seth had
introduced a procedure that every rescued minor should be produced before the
Child Welfare Committee, which could then carry out tests to determine her age.
But this procedure seems to have been discontinued at many police stations.
Said Seth, “The procedure, if properly followed, would ensure that the girls do
not return to the profession and are rehabilitated by the NGOs.’’
Sources said that inmany cases, the raids were merely an eyewash as within a
few hours, the minors were back in the brothels. This has happened in a Nagpada
brothel, from where three minors were rescued earlier this year.
The girls were released by the cops and not produced before a juvenile court.
Senior inspector Kalander Sheikh of Nagpada police station faced an inquiry in
this connection and was transferred.
Another example is that of Jamuna Mansion, a building next toD BMarg police
station. There have been at least four raids on it in the last five years. But
every time the brothel-keepers returned within a month, back in business under
a different name.
Said deputy police commissioner (enforcement) Pradnya Saravade, “This is a
major problem where the offenders change names and restart child prostitution
rackets. We are, therefore, building a separate database of such criminals
which will include their photographs.’’
The police are also thinking of taking action against the offenders under the
Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), as they view such rackets
as an organised crime.
Though the conviction rate in child prostitution cases is just 2%, police chief
A N Roy has now adopted a three-pronged strategy to curb the menace.
According to him, every offender will be asked to sign a ‘good behaviour’ bond,
which is a court affidavit stating that the person would not repeat the
offence. Second, they would be included in a special police record and their
movements would be tracked regularly. Third, the police would seal the premises
where the rackets are operated.
Meanwhile, Anand Shetty, Maharashtra Hotel and Restaurant Ladies Employees’
Union president, has written a letter to state home minister R R Patil
demanding action against the policemen at D B Marg police station.
“Most of the policemen are hand in glove with the prostitutes and have been
collecting bribes for the past several months,’’ he said. A senior officer at D
B Marg police station denied the charge.
More than one lakh residents of red-light areas planned to go on a dharna at
August Kranti Maidan on August 9 to raise the issue of police connivance, said
Shetty.
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