Sr citizen, driver booked for human trafficking out on bail

He was in a resort for a meeting of agro company dealers, but there were also 8 women prostitutes there

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: A senior citizen from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, and his driver were booked under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act and Section 370 of the Indian Penal Code after they were found in a resort which was being run as a brothel. The duo claimed that the businessman had come to the resort to attend the meeting of dealers of his agricompany.

However, there were eight women in the resort who were being engaged “for the purpose of dance and prostitution.” The High Court of Karnataka released the two on bail noting that it was the manager of the resort who is the main accused in the case who “has to answer the charge of running the brothel.”

The two accused who were granted bail were Govindu Sundar Rao and his driver Ud Ituru Madhusudhan Reddy. The case against them was registered by the Dandeli Rural Police Station. The police had conducted a raid on the Dream Flower Resort at Haregali village in Dandeli taluk. Eight women were found to be allegedly used for prostitution.

Condom packets, cigarette packs, beer bottles and Rs.49,080 in cash were recovered from them. The police arrested one Madhusudhan Shivarao who claimed he had brought the women from Andhra Pradesh at the insistence of the manager of the resort. Businessmen Trapped Rao and Reddy who were at the resort at the same time were also booked by the police on charges of trafficking women.

Approaching the HC, they contended otherwise. Their petition was heard by Justice Anil B Katti. Rao claimed he was the Assistant General Mangager of MS Viswa Vijetha Agros (India) Pvt Ltd and was in the resort to attend a dealers meeting in which more than 70 dealers from Karnataka were present.

The HC in its judgment noted, “The petitioners are admittedly the residents of Andhra Pradesh residing in the given addresses of the cause title, which is not in serious dispute by the prosecution. Therefore, there is no question of petitioners using Dream Flower Resort for running brothel. It is only the manager of the resort, who is arrayed as accused No.1 has to answer the charge of running the brothel.”

The Court further noted, “It is pertinent to note that no cash or incriminating material were seized from the possession of these petitioners. Whether the petitioners were involved in trafficking the women from Andhra Pradesh to the place where they were found for the purpose of prostitution is a matter of trial.”

The two were in custody since November 14, 2022. Since the statements of witnesses were already recorded these two were not required for investigation, the HC said granting them bail.