Supreme Court grants bail to HIV positive sex worker

An HIV positive sex worker, sentenced to seven years imprisonment for running a brothel in Pune and procuring girls for prostitution, has been granted bail by the Supreme Court on humanitarian ground.

An HIV positive sex worker, sentenced to seven years imprisonment for running a brothel in Pune and procuring girls for prostitution, has been granted bail by the Supreme Court on humanitarian ground.

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A bench of justice HS Bedi and justice CK Prasad released the HIV positive sex worker on bail for six months on a plea made by her counsel Gurdeep Singh, who had come to the apex court after dismissal of her bail plea earlier by the Bombay HC.

Lodged in Pune's Yerwada jail since May 13, last year, the sex worker had been convicted on various offences under provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Immoral Traffic Prevention Act for procuring minor girls and forcing them into prostitution.

As per the bail plea filed by Singh, the woman was first arrested on November 17, 2006,following a raid conducted by Pune Police at her brothel in the city.

The raid was conducted at the instance of some civil society workers, who tipped-off the police about minor girls from far-flung areas in Nepal and elsewhere, and having been forced into prostitution. Police had rescued four to five women and nine minor girls from a hidden cell in the building. The girls had told the police that they were brought to Pune with assurance of employment, but were sold at the brothel.