New Delhi: The DCW on Wednesday summoned a senior Delhi Police officer after five of the seven Uzbek women who were allegedly trafficked and sexually exploited in India went missing from a private shelter home here. The Delhi Police said that it was a "sensitive" matter and they will submit their reply to the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW). The DCW has summoned the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), New Delhi, seeking an action taken report in the matter.
It said the seven women had alleged that they were trafficked from Uzbekistan to India and forced into prostitution. The women had managed to escape and get an FIR registered at the Chanakyapuri police station on August 28, the panel said. Police said the women are in the age group of 18 to 25 years and a probe is underway.
"We have received the summons issued from DCW wherein New Delhi District Police has been asked to submit a reply and appear before the Commission on November 4 at 2 pm. "'We will file our reply and abide by the directions of DCW. As the matter relates to trafficking of certain women and has been classified as 'sensitive'; hence, we can't share any more information at this point of time," said Hemant Tiwari, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi).
DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal has also issued a notice to the private shelter home "to understand the circumstances under which the women have gone missing from the shelter home." "I have issued summons to Delhi Police. I want them to produce these five girls before the Commission, ensure arrests of all traffickers and recover the girls' passports. Strongest action should be taken against such international sex rackets operating in the capital," she said.
The matter came to light after the Commission received a complaint from the seven Uzbek women about an international trafficking and prostitution racket, officials said. According to the DCW, the Uzbek women had alleged that they were brought to India on the pretext of providing jobs, but were forced into "prostitution" and "sexual slavery". They informed some of them were brought to Delhi via Nepal and some directly to India on tourist and medical visas.
The women alleged that their passports and other documents of those who were brought to India via Nepal were taken away in that country, while the documents of other women were taken away by traffickers after arriving in India, the DCW said. The women alleged that they were forced into "prostitution" in India and were threatened and beaten when they resisted, the panel said.
The women were told that they would be caught and put in jail. They stated that they were sold to different owners during their stay in Delhi and were "raped" repeatedly, the panel added. An FIR under section 365 (Kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine a person), 384 (extortion), 384 (extortion), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 370 (trafficking of persons) of Indian Penal Code was registered.
Three accused were also arrested. However, the girls had named 10 people and seven of them were yet to be arrested, the Commission said. "The girls desperately needed their documents to go back to their country, but the Delhi Police was unable to arrange the same. Also, the women were sent to a shelter home where they were residing since then.
"Now, the Commission has learnt that five women have been missing from the shelter home since the past few days," the DCW claimed. Taking the matter seriously, the Commission has issued summons to DCP New Delhi seeking an action taken report in the matter. It has sought a copy of the FIR along with detail of steps taken by the police to trace and recover the missing girls and arrest the accused.
The Commission has asked police the reasons why the documents of the women, including passports, could not be restored. A senior police officer on Wednesday said three of the 10 accused named in the FIR have been arrested and a non-bailable warrant has been issued against two. "Efforts are being taken to nab those absconding. An investigation into the matter is still underway," the officer said.
Maliwal said, "Seven Uzbek girls had exposed a big international racket involving trafficking and sex slavery. Delhi Police registered an FIR but all accused were not arrested and the girls' passports were not recovered from the traffickers. "With great difficulty and after going through an ordeal, these girls managed to escape. The girls had alleged that the traffickers had followed them with a gun as well! Now, five of the seven girls have gone missing from the shelter home." (PTI)
