The Mapusa court on Tuesday rejected the bail plea of a Kenyan national accused in a human trafficking and prostitution racket case, observing that prima facie evidence pointed to her role in luring women to India on the false pretext of employment and subsequently forcing them into prostitution.
Additional Sessions Judge-2, Mapusa, Apurva Nagvenkar, while dismissing the bail application of Nancy Kingori alias Aliana, noted that the accused, along with others, had allegedly procured the survivor and forced her into prostitution while living off the earnings from the activity.
“The complaint and the statement u/s 183 of BNSS clearly speak as to how accused no.1 misrepresented to the complainant about the availability of the job in the hotel industry in India and pushed her into prostitution by threatening that she will be raped and killed,” the court observed.
The order further stated that two other victims had also spoken about the accused's involvement in the crime. “Therefore, there is prima facie material to show involvement of accused no.1 in the crime,” the Judge said while refusing bail.
Earlier during the hearing, the prosecution opposed the plea, arguing that the accused, being a Kenyan national, could abscond if released. The Public Prosecutor also informed the court that victims in the case -- also Kenyan nationals -- are yet to be examined, and that granting bail at this stage could allow the accused to influence them.
The court accepted the prosecution’s apprehension, observing that there was a possibility that Aliana “might threaten or persuade or win over the victims, which will be prejudicial to the prosecution’s case.”
On the other hand, the defence sought bail on the ground of prolonged incarceration and relied on various High Court rulings. However, the court held that “the ground of long incarceration is not made out” in the present case and said the judgments cited by the defence were not applicable.
