CELEBS FACTORY

In yet another high-profile prostitution racket, the Social Security Cell of Pune police crime branch on Saturday arrested a 22-year-old south Indian model and her step-brother who acted as her agent.

A team led by senior inspector Bhanupratap Barge was working on a tip off by constable Ashok Takalkar’s informants that a 32-year-old agent, Rajkumar Mariathasan, has been bringing models and aspiring actresses to various hotels in Pune and Mumbai for prostitution. On Saturday night, cops laid a trap through a decoy customer. “Around 10 pm on Saturday, we arrested a 22-year-old woman, Caroline Mariathasan along with Rajkumar, who is her step-brother, from a five-star hotel in Pune,” Barge said.

Investigations revealed that Caroline has been modelling for jewellery and garments and has acted in three South Indian films awaiting release.“Caroline has told us that her father, Ranjit, runs a photo studio in Mumbai. We have made her father an accused in the case and have launched a search for him,” Barge said.

“Caroline told us that she was doing this as she needed money. But things will be clear in course of the investigation,” he added. According to the police, Caroline has acted in three Tamil movies, which are yet to be released.

As of now, the police have not found any other woman involved in the case. “No other name has come up. Rajkumar told us that most of the time, his father arranged customers while he did it sometimes. Caroline has come to Pune twice earlier. She has been charging as much as Rs 3 lakh for two hours. Her customers were also made to pay for air travel and two suites in the hotels they stayed — one for her and the customer and one for the agent. On Saturday, she and Rajkumar flew to Mumbai from Chennai and then took a private taxi to Pune.”

Both Caroline and Rajkumar, who have been booked under various sections of Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, were produced before a magistrate’s court on Sunday and remanded in police custody till Monday. The case has now been transferred to Yerawada police station.

The investigation was conducted under guidance of additional commissioner of police (crime) Anant Shinde and DCP (crime) Rajesh Bansode. The investigating team comprised API Vimal Bidve, PSI Ashvini Jagtap and constables Datta Nikam, Mohan Thorat, Kashinath Ubhe, Shashikant Shinde, Bapu Jambhale, Krushna Machare and Vaishali Wagh.