Uzbek woman rescued from flesh trade at hotel

Nagpur: In yet another raid that exposed the dark underbelly of human trafficking, Nagpur Police's crime branch social security unit stormed a private hotel on Central Avenue and busted an interstate prostitution racket in the early hours of July 3.The operation, conducted between 5.30pm of July 2 and 1.55am of July 3, led to the rescue of a 24-year-old Uzbek woman ensnared in flesh trade. The woman, who flew down to the city on July 2 morning, possessed a fake Aadhaar card bearing false identity and a lapsed tourist visa. The alleged masterminds, Rashmi Khatri, 49, who earlier worked as manager and later took the establishment on lease a few months ago, and Delhi-based pimp Krishna Kumar alias Radhe Deshraj, were charged with orchestrating the illicit operation.As law does not permit arrest of women after sunset, Khatri was told to present herself before the investigators at Tehsil police station on Thursday. However, she did not comply. A police team visited Khatri's residence at Uppalwadi where she was not found, leading to speculation that she might have gone underground.Police revealed that Deshraj, a key figure in a nationwide trafficking network having international connections, acted as pimp supplying women from economically disadvantaged European countries like Uzbekistan to high-paying clients. These clients, often wealthy and influential, pay anywhere above 5,500 per hour for services, exploiting vulnerable women trapped in the trade. Room charges of the hotels are charged additionally.Khatri, the local operator, facilitated the racket in Nagpur's Central Avenue, allegedly leveraging political connections, though police denied any external influence in the investigation. The rescued Uzbek woman, whose identity remains protected, entered India on a tourist visa in 2024, which expired in May 2025. Shockingly, she possessed a fraudulent Aadhaar card bearing a false name, a tactic used by traffickers to evade detection of foreigners. The rescued woman has been shifted to a govt shelter after her medical examination and recording statement.Police are coordinating with Uzbekistan consulate in Delhi to ensure the victim's safety and repatriation. The hotel management failed to report the Uzbek woman's presence to the Foreigners Registration Office, a lapse now under scrutiny. The police have seized two mobile phones, a DVR, 5,500 cash, and materials worth 39,010. An offence has been registered by the crime branch at Tehsil police station.Senior inspector Shubhangi Deshmukh of Tehsil police station confirmed Khatri's arrest is imminent, while Deshraj faces additional charges for his role in similar rackets. This marks the second instance of vulnerable women from economically weaker European nations being trafficked through Delhi-based networks using fake Aadhaar cards. The operation was led by additional commissioner Vasant Pardeshi, deputy commissioner Rahul Maknikar, and ACP Abhijit Patil, with senior inspectors Gajanan Gulhane, assistant PI Shivaji Nanware, and constables Ashwin Bhange, Sameer Shaikh, Kunal Bodkhe, Poonam Shende, and others.