The two persons from Assam who were arrested by the Kozhikode Town police on Sunday (May 11, 2025) in connection with an alleged sex racket case involving a minor girl were produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Kozhikode on Tuesday (May 13, 2025) and were remanded in judicial custody. Farkhan Ali, 26, and Aklima Khatoon, 21, were taken into custody from Bhadrak railway station in Odisha when they were on their way to Assam.
The alleged racket was exposed when the 17-year-old girl, who claimed to have been locked up and forced into prostitution by Farkhan Ali, escaped and sought refuge at the Medical College police station last week. She claimed that she was brought to Kozhikode by Ali who she met on social media. He had reportedly offered her a job, for which she came to the city.
Since the lodge where she was allegedly locked up was located within the Town police station limits, the Medical College police handed over the case to the Town police.
The girl had reportedly revealed to the police that five other girls were also locked up in the lodge. She is now sheltered at the Children’s Home in the city. The police said her documents had been forged and that she was indeed a minor.
However, the police could not find any more girls in the lodge in question. The accused, when questioned, said the other girls had been moved to Ernakulam. “We are trying to get them back in custody for further questioning to determine whether there were more people involved in the racket and if more girls are locked up elsewhere,” the police said.
Published – May 14, 2025 07:18 pm IST
