Social Media Cell Of Assam Police Bust Inter-State Prostitution Racket In Guwahati, 3 Held

An official statement from the Assam Police said that the social media cell that keeps a vigil on updates from suspicious accounts had traced down some Twitter handles and unscrupulous websites that claim to provide escort services to customers in Guwahati and other cities of the state.

The official statement read, "Analysis revealed connected mobile numbers with other details and preliminary inquiries revealed the involvement of an inter-state gang in the possible prostitution racket."

The Assam Police following the matter registered a case last Thursday and sources said that an investigation has already begun regarding the same.

According to the police, the Crime Branch upon investigation found out that one Nayanmoni Patowary, Manager of Hotel Minerva, Panbazar was involved and the racket was operated by him.

Meanwhile, the police have arrested Patowary and are under judicial custody.

Further interrogation into the matter revealed that another culprit, namely Sandeep Kumar alias Mukul Bhardwaj alias Bambam was the major kingpin of the racket. Police found out that Bhardwaj was running the prostitution racket along with his wife, Diya Sarmah alias Junaki Begum.

Sources within the Assam Police revealed that, the accused persons used social media in order to communicate with potential customers along with other online methods like unscrupulous websites in order to fix the date, girls, and their rates for the escort services provided by them.

It was further informed by the police that, the sex racket was being operated in Hotel Minerva in Panbazar along with one of the rooms that was rented by Bhardwaj in Jiyabharali Apartment.

Following the investigation, the Crime Branch team arrested Diya Sarmah from Patharquari. Mukul Bhardwaj was still at large and his exact whereabouts were not known. Even his wife claimed not to know his current whereabouts and address.

After technical analysis of mobile numbers used by Bhardwaj, it was revealed he had several addresses to his name ranging from Delhi to Bihar to Maharashtra. He also used at least 10-15 mobile numbers.

Further investigations by the crime branch revealed his location at Lakhisarai district of Bihar and was later nabbed on Sunday by a team of Assam police crime branch.