Team Goemkarponn
Mapusa, April 23: The Additional Sessions Court in North Goa has cleared one of the two individuals initially charged in the 2017 Calangute sex trafficking case, while ordering formal trial proceedings against the key accused.
Presiding over the matter, Judge Sharmila Patil ruled that Rehan Qureshi, the primary accused, will face trial for his alleged role in trafficking and exploitation. He has been charged under Section 370 of the Indian Penal Code for human trafficking and Sections 3, 4, 5, and 7 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, which deal with various aspects of operating and facilitating prostitution.
The Court found the victim’s testimony to be credible and directly implicating Qureshi, stating that it clearly pointed to his involvement in bringing the young woman into the sex trade.
“The victim has categorically stated that she was brought by the first accused for sexual exploitation. Her version aligns with the material on record,” the Judge noted in the order.
In contrast, the second accused, Chandran Kumar, was discharged from the case. The Court determined that there was no sufficient evidence to link him to the trafficking offences, clarifying that his role as a customer did not attract the charges under the law. His bail conditions were revoked, subject to the appeal period ending.
The case stems from a police raid conducted in Calangute on November 21, 2017, during which the victim was rescued from a resort. As per the investigation, the woman had traveled from Mumbai to Goa two days prior after being contacted by Qureshi through a mutual acquaintance named Jyoti, based in Bengaluru.
On her arrival, Qureshi allegedly picked her up from the bus stand and arranged accommodation. On the day of the raid, he reportedly told her a client had been arranged and took her to meet Chandran Kumar, who then accompanied her to the resort. Police raided the premises soon after and rescued the victim.
Investigators stated that the woman was unaware of the deal made or the location she was being taken to, reinforcing the claim that she had been trafficked without full knowledge or consent.
With charges now formally framed against Qureshi, the case will proceed to trial in the coming weeks.
