Man acquitted of attempt to force minors into prostitution

A man, accused of attempting to sell three minors from West Bengal in flesh trade market here, has been acquitted by a city court as the victims failed to depose in the case. "The appearance of complainant was necessary, so that no
vacuum remained in the chain of events or corroboration.

For want of appearance of said victims, vacuum is subsisting in the proof of chain of allegations," Additional Sessions Judge Inder Jeet Singh said. The court concluded that there was no evidence to suggest that accused Sheikh Sonu, a resident of Kolkata, induced the girls to accompany him to the national capital.
    
Sonu and co-accused Laxmi, who jumped the bail and was later declared proclaimed offender during the trial, were arrested on February 9, 2007 from the walled city area following the complaint of one of the victims. Sonu was allegedly striking a deal to sell the three minors to Laxmi, an alleged brothel owner, when the police nabbed them, prosecution alleged.

Two office bearers of Delhi-based NGO 'Savera' witnessed the incident. The complainant alleged that she and her two friends, hailing from Kolkata, were lured away by Sonu on the pretext of getting them lucrative jobs here. However, she later became wary of the evil designs of Sonu after she overheard the conversation between the two accused. 

The duo was booked under section 363 (kidnapping), 366A (procuring minor girls), 372 (selling minor for purpose of prostitution) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC. The victims, after lodging the FIR and recording their statements with police, were untraceable which consequently made the case weak.
    
"The prosecutrix (girl) and her companions have not stepped into the witness box despite repeated process issued against them. The IO made sincere efforts but they could not be traced," the court said.