New Delhi: Noting that the menace of human trafficking is on the rise and needs to be curbed by police, a local court has sentenced a woman to 10 years' imprisonment for confining and forcing a girl into flesh trade.
Additional sessions judge Kaveri Baweja sentenced Padma and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on her, saying the offences committed by her were "extremely grave" in nature and no leniency can be shown to her.
The court said a copy of its order be sent to the Deputy Commissioner of Delhi Police (DCP) concerned for compliance and asked him to ensure that officials functioning under him make all possible endeavours to nab offenders who get away by committing the heinous crime of human trafficking.
It may also be pertinent to mention that as per the charge sheet, no efforts, whatsoever, appear to have been made by the investigating agency to apprehend the two boys who allegedly brought the victim to Delhi from her native village in West Bengal, the court added.
"The menace of human trafficking, which is on the rise, needs to be curbed and requires sincere efforts on part of the police, failing which many other victims of human trafficking are likely to meet the same fate as the prosecutrix in the present case. It is hence expected that the DCP concerned shall look into the matter," the court said.
The court sentenced Padma under the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act, saying it has been proved that the victim was induced by the convict to carry on prostitution against her will.
The court also said the fine amount of Rs 10,000 should be given to the victim as compensation.
It said apart from this, the girl be awarded adequate compensation as recommended under the CrPC.
According to the prosecution, the girl was brought to Delhi from West Bengal by two boys, who had left her with accused Padma at a brothel in GB Road in New Delhi in July, 2010.
The girl had told police that she was thrown into prostitution and on refusal, she was beaten and abused.
One day she gave the phone number of her family member to one of the brothel customers and was rescued, the victim had said.
The court rejected the leniency plea of the convict, saying she does not deserve it.
"The forceful subjection to prostitution certainly must have caused havoc to the mental and physical well-being of the victim and the trauma she must have undergone each time she was forced to do the work of prostitution against her will is beyond imagination," it said.
The court said Padma, in total disregard for the dignity of the girl, subjected her to forceful sexual intercourse and threw her into prostitution against her will.
"The prosecutrix, who was trafficked from West Bengal, was pushed into flesh trade by the convict under force and even by giving beatings in case of her refusal to do so.
Her earnings were also taken away by the convict and the girl, who was the victim of human trafficking, was confined to the brothel," the court said.
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