BERHAMPUR: As many as 12 persons were arrested and three sex workers rescued from a guest house in Tata Benz Square here on Tuesday.The accused include the racket kingpin Gopi Behera alias Rajnikant, Rajesh Bisoi and agents Suman Sahu, Prafulla Sahu, Raja Pradhan and Chandan Sahu, who were allegedly involved in luring customers.
Berhampur SP Sarvana Vivek M said at around 11 pm on Monday, Baidyanathpur police received information of a prostitution racket operational at Tulasi guest house in Tata Benz square. Soon, a police team disguised as customers, reached the spot.
On confirmation, the team conducted raid on the guest house and caught women and men in compromising positions. Luxury condoms, contraceptives and liquor bottles among others were seized from their possession.
During interrogation, the women revealed that they were from Kolkata and a part of the racket run by Behera. Bisoi was involved in taking the guest house on lease and allowed prostitution there.
Police also arrested customers K Dibakar Reddy, Nitesh Sahu, S Kiran Reddy, S Bhagirathi Reddy, Rabi Kumar Sahu and K Sankar Acharya for their alleged involvement in the racket.
A case under relevant sections of Immoral Traffic Prevention Act (PITA) was registered against the accused and the three women were sent to a correctional home.
The three women would be handed over to their families after recording their statements before the magistrate, said the SP.