HC quashes 'pimp's' plea on Goondas Act

Chennai, Oct 16 (UNI) The Madras High Court has rejected a plea to quash the Goodas Act imposed on a 'pimp.' Dismissing a petition yesterday filed by Mohan Reddy, detained under Goondas Act, a division bench comprising Justices Elipe Dharma Rao and S Tamilvanan said the petitioner was rightly detained under the Act.

Reddy was detained under the Goondas Act on June 11. He had already been charged in four cases under the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act.

According to the prosecution, reddy ''under the guise of getting cinema chances,'' brought girls from the neighboouring states through his associates and thereafter, induced and forced them to indulge in prostitution and earned huge money and acquired properties.

Reddy's wife filed a Habeas Corpus Petition (HCP) which was dismissed yesterday.

Rejecting the claim, the judges pointed out that Mohan Reddy had been residing in Chennai since 1985 and it was improbable that he did not know Tamil.

''A habitual offender, who enticed women by offering them careers in films and forced them into prostitution, should not claim an early release from prison,'' the bench observed.

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