Mumbai: The Mira Road police on Thursday arrested a man (26) for allegedly forcing his wife (19) into prostitution and sexually exploiting her for over a year. Two others were arrested for their alleged role in the case. Meanwhile, six persons, including the woman’s mother-in-law, her husband’s uncle and friends, who, along with a pimp, allegedly facilitated the crime, are absconding.
The arrests came on the back of a complaint registered by the woman against her husband and in-laws at the local police station last week. The family stayed in a posh residential locality in the Hatkesh area of Mira Road.
In her police statement, the woman alleged that her in-laws, husband and his friends (names withheld to protect identity of the woman) sent her to places like Kolkata and Bengaluru where she was forced to indulge in prostitution since January 2017. Additionally, she was made to work at a ladies service bar in Goregaon and even undergo an abortion.
Initially, the case was registered with the Kashimira police station, which was later transferred to Mira Road for further investigation. A team led by assistant police inspector Ganesh Mali swung into action and arrested three people including the woman’s husband (26), his friend (28) and a pimp (50).
Not ruling out the involvement of more people in the crime, senior police inspector Vasant Labdhe said, “All other accused named in the FIR will be behind the bars soon.
