India, July 7 -- The Bombay High Court on Friday granted bail to a 23-year-old student who was arrested in September 2024 for allegedly engaging in sex with a teenage trafficked victim. The court observed that his role was limited to that of a "customer" and that there was no evidence to show he forced the victim into sex work or knew her real age.

The trafficking came to light on September 20, 2024, when police constable Avisha Dhonsekar, attached to the anti-human trafficking cell of the Navi Mumbai police, received a tip-off about the alleged trafficking in Panvel, where girls aged between 16 and 17 were being forced into sex work allegedly by one Vejad Ali Khan alias Raju Mondal. Consequently, they raided the lodge and rescued seven ...