Bhubaneswar: Notorious pimp Sunil Meher was not alone running a high profile sex racket in the twin city. Several others are actively involved in the illegal trade.
Meher, who was arrested from Kolkata two days ago, himself informed the media about multiple sex rackets being operated by others in the city. He said many people are doing the trade but when they are caught, they start taking his name to protect themselves.
"This business is rampant in Bhubaneswar. But now it has become easy for those who are doing this business to rake up my name. Whoever comes to light and is trapped in the police net, he/she would name me in a bid to protect him/herself", Meher told media persons while police took him on a four-day remand for interrogation.
He added that he used to run the trade earlier but has quit it for the last one year.
"I have got into textile business after quitting this trade for the last one year," Meher said. When asked about the 'paid girlfriend' issue, he strongly denied any knowledge about it. "I don't know what it is," he replied.
On the other hand, police are trying to extract more information from him during his four-day remand period.
"He will be interrogated about his business network outside the State. In which states he is running his illegal act will be known after inquiry. We are investigating into all aspects of the case", DCP Satyabrat Bhoi said.
Meher's name cropped up after a Kyrgyz woman was rescued and a pimp, owing close allegiance to him, was arrested.
A quick action team (QAT) of Commissionerate police, which had taken position at the airport on the basis of a tip-off, nabbed the sex racket kingpin at Kolkata airport when he was getting down from a flight on April 22.
The police had moved court seeking 5-day remand, but the court limited it four days.
According to police, many young women, who were involved in the flesh trade earlier, have now become his business partners. A hunt is on to nab Meher’s agents like Ajay, Lenin, Prashant and Rajesh. The investigating team is also in search of a diary containing names and contacts of some influential persons.
Police sources said a total of 12 cases have been registered against Meher, who has been arrested at least seven times since 2010. He had links with almost all sex rackets busted in the past few months. Police also strongly suspect Meher's links to an international sex racket busted at Chandrasekharpur on March 23. A 30-year-old Kyrgyz woman was rescued and a pimp, owing allegiance to Meher was arrested.
Meher was last arrested by Chandrasekharpur police in July 2014. A resident of Sambalpur district, Meher was first arrested in Bhubaneswar in May 2010. He was nabbed from a guest house with some women under Infocity police limits. After coming out of bail, he reverted to the lucrative business and was arrested in December 2010 from Chandrasekharpur.
However, frequent arrests failed to deter him from the most profitable business as he successfully handled it even when he was in jail and outside.