Khim Bahadur Gurung, Sumitra Rai and her husband Sunil, who have been accused of involvement in organized prostitution, are being tried under an initial phase, according to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Tulsi Adhikari. [break]
“We hope imposing of lengthy prison terms for promoting prostitution will deter those involved in this offense,” DSP Adhikari said. He said this approach is being tried for the first time in Kaski to discourage the prostitution.
Spokesperson of Kaski Police Bishwa Raj Adhikari said such offenders were earlier released on bail by the district administration office after detaining them for 25 days. “Those who could not pay the bail amount were jailed for a maximum of six months,” Adhikari said.
There is a provision for a 10-15 year jail sentence in human trafficking cases. Spokesperson Adhikari explained that offenders can be sent directly to jail without being kept in judicial custody.
Gurung, who has become the first person in Kaski to be tried under human trafficking for promoting prostitution, has admitted to running a brothel for the last two years from an apartment near Janapriya School at Simalchaur.
Two women involved in the trade and three men were also arrested from the site along with Gurung. Police claimed that the Rai couple has also been running a sex trade from a rented house near Srijanachowk.
There is a legal provision for trying under human trafficking persons who force or lure others into prostitution. The victim has to make a statement that she was lured or forced into prostitution.
Police have arrested more than 100 persons involved in prostitution in the last month in an attempt to curb gambling, flesh trade and other crime. They are trying 70 of them under the Public Offense Act.
Police have also arrested some other women and men involved in prostitution and some hotel proprietors from the tourist hub of Lakeside, acting on information about organized prostitution taking place there. Police maintain that a large number of persons are involved in organized prostitution from rented houses and apartments at different localities in Pokhara.
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