HC directs police protection to woman in sex racket case

Kochi, Jul 6: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday, Jul 5 directed police protection to a woman, who alleged that nearly 300 girls from the state are trapped in Gulf countries and sexually exploited.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice J Chelemeswar and Justice P R Ramachandra Menon also asked the investigating team to submit progress of the investigation within six weeks.

The 30-year-old woman approached the high court complaining that police were not taking effective action on her complaint regarding alleged trafficking of women from Kerala and other states to the Gulf countries. She had claimed to have escaped from the clutches of the racket from Sharjah.

The high court had in March directed South Zone IGP to conducted a detailed investigation into the complaint. The IGP had filed a detailed report to the court later, stating there were "serious lapses" in the investigation of the case.

In his report, IGP (Thiruvananthapuram) K Padma Kumar said "none of the investigating officers investigated the case satisfactorily" and it needed intensive and sustained probe.

Disciplinary action had been recommended against five officials who had committed major lapses, it was stated.

Although the case was registered on August 20, 2007 on the complaint by the petitioner, only 20 days of investigation had taken place so far, the report said.

The petitioner claimed she was offered a job in 2007 in a super market at Sharjah, where she was kept in a flat and sexually abused by several persons. She contended that over 300 girls from Kerala are detained in various centres in Gulf countries and sought the intervention of the Kerala government in rescuing the trapped women.

PTI