Thane police on Friday arrested actress Anushka Moni Mohan Das for allegedly running a sex racket and forcing aspiring actresses into prostitution. She was remanded in judicial custody.
Police sent two under-cover people to pose as customers based on a tipoff. When they contacted Anushka, she asked them to meet her at Thakur mall on Kashmira highway.
She was caught accepting money from the undercover customers, following which police raided her place and rescued two women who are reportedly active in Bengali films and TV serials. They were moved to a shelter home.
Who is Anushka Moni Mohan Das?
Anushka Moni Mohan Das, 41, is popularly known as Moon Das. The Bengali actress is a former model who is known for playing the lead in Bengali film Loafer.
She has appeared in multiple advertisements and performed with singers like Honey Singh, Mika Singh and Udit Narayan, according to the Bollywood Chronicle.
Anushka was booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 143(3) for human trafficking and under Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.
Police said the sex racket was catering to customers from the elite community while Anushka was a mediator.
Besides Anushka, at least 20 others have been arrested, including bar owners, managers and waiters.