Kalyan: In a major crackdown on human trafficking, the Anti-Human Trafficking Cell (AHTC) of Thane Police has arrested a senior woman advocate for allegedly operating a prostitution racket from a hotel in Kalyan (East). During the operation, police rescued two women who were allegedly being forced into the flesh trade.According to investigators, the AHTC received confidential information that an advocate, who practices in Kalyan and Panvel courts, was allegedly exploiting financially vulnerable women by pushing them into prostitution. Acting on the tip-off, officers launched a discreet surveillance operation at the hotel and monitored activities for several days.To verify the information, police personnel visited the hotel in plainclothes posing as regular customers. After gathering sufficient evidence, the AHTC coordinated with the local Kolsewadi police and conducted a well-planned raid on Saturday.The team first secured all possible exit points before sending decoy customers inside, leading to the arrest of the accused.S G Nail, police inspector from Kolsewadi police station, said: “Preliminary investigations indicate that the advocate had allegedly been operating the racket for nearly three months. We are now probing whether more women were trafficked and identifying other persons involved in the operation”.A case has been registered against the accused under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.Further investigation is underway.
