A 18-year-old newly wed Kolkata resident was among the 16 women rescued from flesh trade by the Mumbai Police’s Social Service Branch on October 5. Among those rescued were minors too.

The newly wed teen was brought to Mumbai by her husband for a holiday. Her husband, Sukuar Vishwas (27), sold her off for Rs 50,000 to people involved in a prostitution racket. The Social Service Branch officials tracked him down in Kolkata and arrested him.

On October 5, the Social Service Branch officers got a tip-off that flesh trade was going on at many lodges and hotels at Singh chawl at Darga Road in Bhandup (West).

The Social Service branch officers conducted raids at these places and rescued the women.

Two women running the prostitution center, Sobha Harijan (34) and Puja Tamang (26), were arrested and the rescued women were sent to a rehabilitation center at Kandivli by the Social Service branch officers.

“When we spoke to the rescued women, we found that one of them was sold off to Harijan for Rs 50,000 by her husband,” said Police Sub Inspector P. Bhosle, of the Social Service Branch.

The police then questioned Harijan, who informed that the newly wed woman was brought to her by Sanauddin Khan, a pimp.

The police then arrested Khan and declared the teen’s husband absconding.

“We had information that Vishwas was a Kolkata resident. We found him at his house and brought him to Mumbai on Tuesday,” added Bhosle.

Vishwas was presented in the court on Wednesday and has been remanded to police custody till Monday.