The Himachal Pradesh High Court has rejected the bail application of a man accused of trafficking women and forcing them into commercial sex work in the resort town of Manali, observing that pushing individuals into prostitution for financial gain represents the worst degradation of humanity and objectifies the human body.
In an order passed on August 19, Justice Rakesh Kainthla ruled that the accused could not be granted relief because his release could encourage similar crimes and harm society. The court further noted that the primary charge against the petitioner carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, underscoring the gravity of the offence, and expressed concern that the victims would be unable to provide free and fair testimonies if the accused were released on bail.
Addressing the defence’s claim that the victims were consenting adults, the bench clarified that consent does not negate the offence if it was obtained through inducement. The court also observed that a notable age difference between the accused and the victims does not preclude the possibility of inducement.
Arguments Before the Court
The petitioner sought bail in connection with a First Information Report registered at the Manali Police Station under Sections 143 and 143(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which pertain to human trafficking, alongside Sections 4 and 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, which penalise living on the earnings of prostitution and procuring individuals for commercial sex.
Advocate Anchal Sharma, appearing for the petitioner, contended that her client was falsely implicated and that investigators possessed no direct material linking him to the alleged racket. She argued that a significant age disparity between the accused and the survivors made allegations of inducement highly improbable, and urged the court to grant bail.
Opposing the petition, Deputy Advocate General Prashant Sen submitted that the accused had brought the women to Manali under the pretext of securing domestic work before coercing them into prostitution. Sen argued that the recovery of marked currency notes established that the petitioner was living off commercial sex earnings and warned that the accused posed a risk of reoffending if released.
In dismissing the plea, the court also pointed out that the petitioner had failed to produce a copy of the formal chargesheet to substantiate any claim of unreasonable delay by the prosecution.
The Sting Operation and Arrests
The case originates from a midnight sting operation conducted by the police in Manali on December 22, 2025. Following intelligence reports regarding commercial sex activity around the Manali bus stand and Mall Road, authorities deployed two plainclothes officers acting as decoys.
The undercover personnel were provided marked Rs 500 banknotes to pay for the alleged services and were directed to give a missed call and transmit their location once the transaction was accepted. At approximately 1:40 a.m., one of the officers placed the signal call, prompting a police team to raid the identified location.
The raid resulted in the apprehension of two men and the rescue of seven women. According to investigators, the rescued women stated that they had been brought to Manali on false assurances of employment as domestic helpers before being forced into sex work.
