Trafficking Racket In Bhopal: Gang Got Girls Hooked On Drugs, Forced Them Into Sex Trade

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Disturbing details have emerged regarding the alleged sex trafficking racket led by Ashutosh Vajpayee and Mahak Yadav, who are accused of pushing minors and women into the sex trade.

Investigations by the Ashoka Garden police revealed that the gang targeted girls, turning them into drug addicts before forcing them into the flesh trade. 

Police officials said that the investigation has led to evidence regarding the use of drugs.Over 200 photographs of girls from Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, and other states were recovered from the mobile phones of the accused.

In January, police had identified 26 people linked to the racket, arresting 18, including two women. The accused admitted to luring girls from other states to Bhopal, arranging their stay, and supplying them to clients who allegedly paid between Rs 5,000 and Rs 20,000 per night. Deals were finalised through WhatsApp, where clients were sent pictures before the girls were delivered to them.

The alleged kingpins, Vajpayee and his wife Mahak Yadav, are lodged in jail in connection with the case under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act and POCSO Act.

Police have also booked them under organised crime. They were earlier arrested in April 2024 after the murder of an alleged sex worker at a Shahpura hotel. 

Other members are Nidhi Thakur, Makbool Ali of Kolar, Pooja Thakur alias Dimpy, Kuldeep alias Kunal, Salman, Naved Khan, Mithilesh Puraina, Mahesh Dhakad, Anjali Mohale, Arjun Patel, Nishant Mohale, Raj Solanki, Nitin Pal, Krishna Dhakad, Shobharam, Shashank Poddar, Ritul Kumar Pandey, Yogesh Kumar, Surendra Chauhan, Indra Bahadur, Mohit, Lucky, and Devansh.

Police sources said the gang kept trafficked girls in Bhopal for no more than 10-15 days, always under close surveillance. At least 26 local pimps were allegedly active in arranging high-profile clients across the city.

What exposed the racket

The full extent of the gang surfaced when a 15-year-old missing girl from Ashoka Garden was rescued from Ashoknagar in January. The girl had gone missing two years back.

She alleged that she had been sold through Vajpayee and Yadav for Rs 2 lakh after being sexually exploited by many men. The gang had even forged her Aadhaar card to show her to be 18, and married her off. However, the gang was pressuring her to flee her husband’s home with cash and valuables.