E-Paper
Assistant bank manager, software engineer among four held for running online escort service
PUNE An assistant bank manager and a software engineer were among four people arrested on Saturday for running an online escort service in Baner.
PUNE An assistant bank manager and a software engineer were among four people arrested on Saturday for running an online escort service in Baner.
Pankaj Deshmukh, deputy commissioner of police, zone 4 of Pune, during a press briefing, said, “Four Indian national women were rescued from the house which was raided. The police had information about Russian nationals who used to live in the house as well. However, they were not found.”
The assistant bank manager has been identified as Ravikant Baleshwar Paswan (34), a resident of Prime Society in Susgaon, while the software engineer has identified as Deepak Jaiprakash Sharma (36), a resident of Amber apartment in Sai chowk, Balewadi.
According to police Paswan is a native of Bihar and Sharma is a native of Orissa. They were arrested on Saturday and will be police custody till July 4.
“The bank officials say he has not shown up for work in the past year and a half. He, however, claims to be employed at the bank. The software person was the one to build the website and ensure search engine optimisation in the city,” said Deshmukh.
The police have seized 11 mobile phones, four laptops, one iPad, and a car from them.
They operated under the name of Sweet Services Escort and had a website for contacting customers.
“They sent pictures of the women to customers on WhatsApp,” said Deshmukh.
The men were arrested in the second round of investigation of a raid that led to arrest of two people identified as Suresh Pralhad (25) a resident of the Oyo house were the service operated from; and Naksen Ramdas Gajghate (52), owner of the Oyo property and a resident of Shagun Nisarg in Bavdhan. They were arrested on June 23.
The escort service operated from a row house in Baner managed by Oyo.
The police are on a lookout for a woman named Shivani Patil alias Zoya Rohan Khan, a native of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
A case under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code was registered at Chaturshringi police station. Senior police inspector Anil Shewale of Chthuhshrungi police station is investigating the case.
