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Man tries to force daughters into flesh trade, Uttarakhand HC gives ten days to finish probe

NAINITAL: The Uttarakhand high court on Wednesday gave ten-day time to the police to investigate the allegations levelled by two sisters against their father that he tried to force them into sex trade.


The court had to intervene in the case after the girls approached the HC saying that they had filed a complaint with the local police but the FIR was registered under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and not under the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act of 1956.

The girls also alleged that police didn't initiate any action against their father.

"Our mother died several years ago and our father married another woman. Later, he started forcing us to get involved in flesh trade saying he has spent a lot of money on us and it is time to pay him back," said one of the victim girl. One of the girls is 21-year-old and the other is 19-year-old. The elder sister works in a beauty parlour. To save themselves, the two girls had to leave their father's house and are currently staying in a rented accommodation.

Mohammed Matloob, counsel representing the girls, told TOI, "Police registered a case under sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentionally insulting someone) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC. However, the case should have been registered under the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act to deal with such cases."

The court had in its hearing on Monday taken cognisance of the case and had asked the SHO of ITI Kashipur police station to remain present in the court in person and explain the reason why the complaint was dealt with "so casually". Later when the SHO appeared in the court, he was directed to include the relevant sections of the 1956 Act in the case.

"The court on Wednesday finally gave the police ten-day time to complete the investigation in the case and said the sections of the 1956 Act should also be included in the complaint. The HC also ordered the police to provide protection to girls till the investigation is complete," added Matloob.

(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)

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