Arrested scribe, woman slapped with Goondas Act

TRICHY: Trichy city police have imposed Goondas Act on an arrested television channel reporter and his woman accomplice in order to curtail their criminal activity of forcing women and girls into prostitution. City police commissioner M Sathya Priya ordered detention of B Prabin Crystalraj, 40, from Kanyakumari district and his accomplice M Rameeja Banu, 50, under Goondas Act on Thursday on the recommendation of the all-woman police station (AWPS), Cantonment.
The two as well as the mother of a 17-year-old girl were arrested on charges of sexually assaulting her, forcing her into prostitution and pushing her into child marriage on April 12. They were booked under sections of Pocso Act, immortal trafficking (prevention) Act and prohibition of child marriage Act. Acting on a complaint from DCPU, Trichy, AWPS police investigated the case. They found that Prabin Crystalraj and Rameeja Banu forced the girl into prostitution at a hotel near Central bus stand in Trichy. Crystalraj also sexually assaulted the girl.
Crystalraj worked as reporter in a television channel for 15 years before moving to a monthly magazine as reporter. He forced the girl into prostitution with many men just as he had done to several women. The girl’s parents had married her off to a 29-year-old man in Perambalur but she separated from him due to family disputes. When she was living with her parents, her mother sent her to work for Rameeja Banu to clear some debts. Rameeja Banu, in connivance with Crystalraj, pushed the girl into prostitution. AWPS, Cantonment said the two had the intention of indulging in such sexual crimes further and hence recommended for their detention under Goondas Act.