A man has been apprehended in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur for his alleged involvement in a notorious racket that held several young women captive for months in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district, subjecting them to sexual assault under the guise of offering jobs. The accused, identified as Tilak Kumar, was arrested by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe the case, officials said.
"Tilak Kumar has been arrested by the SIT from Gorakhpur," confirmed Superintendent of Police (SP-City) of Muzaffarpur, Awadhesh Dixit, as quoted by news agency PTI.
The SIT, led by Deputy SP Vinita Sinha, is on the hunt for nine individuals who were booked following a court directive. "All allegations of the survivor are being examined, and we are recording the statement of the accused," Dixit added.
'Confined To A Room, Beaten, And Sexually Exploited,' Woman Complainant Says
The victim, in her complaint, alleged that Kumar first contacted her via social media in June 2022, enticing her with promises of a good job in Muzaffarpur. Upon her arrival, she was allegedly confined and sexually assaulted for several months. "In her complaint, the woman alleged that she and other victims were promised jobs at a call centre. However, once they arrived, they were confined to a room, beaten, and sexually exploited," Dixit stated, as per PTI.
The perpetrators were reportedly linked to a fraudulent marketing company, police said.
Eight accused remain at large, and the SIT is intensifying its search efforts. "We have recorded the statements of the complainant and several other victims. The complainant claimed that they were made to call other young women, offering them attractive jobs at the fraudulent firm. We will soon apprehend all the accused, including Manish Kumar, the owner of the firm," Dixit stated.
The survivor managed to escape and lodged a First Information Report (FIR) after police initially refused to accept her complaint, prompting her to seek redress from the court.