High profile sex racket busted in city

The crime branch on Sunday arrested a gang involved in flesh trade an rescued two local girls. The gang members were reportedly providing ‘home delivery’ of girls.

The kingpin of the racket Ranjana Chaturbhuj Meshram (40), resident of Godhani and Bhushan Jeturam Mahule (22) have been arrested.

It is learnt that Ranjana has been involved in flesh trade since long. She was arrested in year 2016 too. She reportedly maintains direct contact with the customers. The other accused in the case Bhushan is an auto-rickshaw driver.

Ranjana allegedly used to contact the customers and take payment from them online. After this, Bhushan used to take the girls to the customers. Ranjana had reduced the probability of getting caught by takin online payments and providing girls at homes.

The racket was operational for long. The crime branch came to know about the racket through sources. They laid a trap and sent a fake customer to Ranjana. She took advance payment from the customer and asked him to book a room. After he booked the room, Bhshan came to deliver the girls.

According to the information provided by police sources, Ranjana is a history sheeter and often lures poor and needy girls in flesh trade by promising big income. The rescued girls are 21 and 28 years old.

They told that Ranjana had made similar promises to them. Many wealthy people in the city are reportedly regular customers of Ranjana. Her business was getting hampered due to the Covid pandemic. She resumed her business just a few days back.

Ranjana told the police personnel that she got into the trade after the death of her husband. The action was carried out by PI Trupti Sonavane, PSI Smita Sonavane, employees Anil Ambade, Rashis Sajid, Manish Ramteke, Chetan Gedam, Ajay Paunikar, Sudhir Tiwari, Reena Jaurkar and Sujata Patil.