Mumbai: Bollywood casting director Aarti Mittal was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly running a prostitution racket in the film industry and supplying models to clients. Mumbai Police trapped Aarti by posing as clients while the models were rescued and sent to a rehabilitation centre. A video of the entire incident has been recorded as evidence.
According to police, Aarti allegedly targeted models whom she met while working on specific projects and sent them to clients by offering them money. She allegedly lured the girls into prostitution by promising them hefty amounts. Aarti, a resident of Aradhana Apartments in Oshiwara worked as both actress and casting director. Police inspector Manoj Sutar got information that Aarti was allegedly running a prostitution racket. He called up Aarti posing as a client and asked for two models. In response, Aarti demanded Rs 60,000 and forwarded pictures of the two women on Sutar's mobile. She informed Sutar that the models could come to either a hotel in Juhu or Goregaon. Following which, Sutar booked two rooms in a Goregaon-based hotel and sent two dummy clients from crime branch to the hotel, said an official. Hidden cameras have recorded Aarti reaching the hotel with two young women and handing contraceptives to the undercover policemen. The Social Services Branch of Mumbai Police raided the hotel and caught the accused red-handed. An FIR was later registered against the accused and she was booked under Section 370 of the Indian Penal Code and other relevant sections for human trafficking.
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During investigation, the girls told the police that Aarti had promised them Rs 15,000 each. Police have sent them to a rehabilitation centre. The case has been transferred to the crime branch for further investigation. Aarti will now be produced before the court, said the official.
