Placement agency owner held for ‘raping’ helps

The Delhi Police have caught hold of a placement agency owner wanted in over 10 cases of rape and molestation registered against him in Malviya Nagar.

The Delhi Police have caught hold of a placement agency owner wanted in over 10 cases of rape and molestation registered against him in Malviya Nagar.

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Police said that the accused, Rohit Gupta, was running Vaishnav Placement agency from Lado Sarai along with his accomplice Shyam Lal.

The police had registered 13 cases of rape, molestation and harassment against the accused after the intervention of the Delhi High Court in March this year.

The police said that he was an accused in a murder case also. Rohit had allegedly killed an NGO worker Sompal, a resident of Dakshinpuri in south Delhi, who helped rescue 27 domestic helps from the placement agency. Sompal was found murdered in Karoli area of Rajasthan after he was allegedly kidnapped by the accused and one of his other accomplices. The accused, who was arrested by Rajasthan Police, about a week ago was brought to Delhi for further investigations.

The police said more than 800 women from West Bengal, Orissa and Jharkhand were brought to the city over the past two years by his agents.

The maids, in the age group of 14-20 years, told the police they were sexually harassed and were not paid their dues.

The incident came to light after the parents of one of the helps approached a Kolkata-based NGO, saying they had not heard from their daughter since she left a year ago. The NGO said the women were not even allowed to meet their parents.

“We have taken Rohit into custody and are trying to piece the sequence of events,” said a senior police officer.

The police said the victims were medically examined and it was proved that they had been sexually assaulted.

The police also said that the accused would undergo a test identification parade (TIP) before the rape victims.