NANCY GHUMAN Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Nancy Ghuman, Bhupinderjeet Singh, Lakshman Kumar and Niharika Sharma-petitioners, are seeking anticipatory bail and Rabindra Narayan-petitioner is seeking regular bail in the case bearing FIR No. 0002, dtd. 17/3/2022, under Ss. 341, 342, 343, 354, 354-A, 354B, 354-C, 328, 420, 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (for short 'IPC'), registered at Police Station PS Women, District SAS Nagar.

(2.) Briefly, the FIR has been registered on the allegations that the complainant is a student of LL.B final year. P.T.C. Punjab had given an advertisement on television with regard to organizing Miss P.T.C. Punjaban contest and in a good faith, she took permission from her parents and submitted application for participating in the contest. After participating in the audition, the complainant was selected for the contest. Thereafter, she was called at Hotel J.D. Residency, S.C.F. 116, Phase-5, Industrial Area, Sector 58, District S.A.S. Nagar. The other contestants were staying in the said hotel. The complainant left her belongings in room no. 002 and thereafter, made to sit in a vehicle. She was taken to Plot No. 138, where the accused had established their studio. The practice continued upto 11 P.M. and thereafter, the contestants were dropped at the hotel. On the next day, the contestants were made to sit in a grey coloured car along with male members and were taken to the studio. The unknown male members disclosed their fake names and were talking with each other in code words. They touched the complainant and other contestants with evil intention. They were taken to a studio and from there to a secret kothi for the purpose of shooting. The contestants were called to a secret room. They were asked weird questions and also inappropriately touched on the pretext of measurements and asked to remove their clothes. The innocent girls were entrapped with an intention to physically exploit them. Niharika-petitioner told the complainant that if she wants to be Miss Punjaban, she will have to do lot more compromises. Niharika, Nancy Ghuman and Bhupinder Singh-petitioners along with others in connivance with each other had been supplying girls to highly influential persons. Nude photographs were clicked on the pretext of photoshoot with an intention to blackmail the contestants. They were also asked to give consent for flesh trade. Niharika-petitioner threatened them either to sleep with the Director and his close friends or the nude/indecent videos will be made viral. Niharika, Nancy Ghuman and Bhupinder Singh are the masterminds of the conspiracy and even tried to physically exploit the complainant. The complainant was told by the accused that she will be allowed to participate in the competition after receiving Rs.12.0015 lakhs otherwise, follow their dictates and sleep with the Director and other office bearers. On the refusal of the complainant, the aforesaid three accused encircled her and locked her in a room. She was made to sign on some blank/printed papers under threat. She was always kept away from other contestants and forcibly locked in the room of the hotel. She was not even allowed to go out and talk to anyone. Niharika and Nancy Ghuman-petitioners kept her locked in a room regularly for 5 days and was not allowed to go out. She was supplied with a water bottle with an open cap and after consuming the same, on many occasions she felt dizziness which led to the state of partial sleep. The complainant subsequently came to know that some intoxicant substance was mixed in the water being given to the contestants in order to reduce their consciousness and raise sexual desire. The complainant had also clicked one video of such water bottle. Almost all the persons residing in the premises had been consuming intoxicants. They also used to give intoxicant substance to the contestants after mixing the same with eatables and then physically exploit them. The complainant had raised alarm on many occasions, but no one listened to her. The accused are having high links who are running business of flesh trade and drug racket under the garb of this competition. The complainant tried to come out on many occasions but she was kept confined. On finding an opportunity, the complainant called her father who tried his level best to rescue her and even filed a Habeas Corpus petition in this Court. A warrant officer was appointed and the complainant was rescued from the clutches of the accused and she reached back her house during the night hours of 15/3/2022 along with her father in a pitiable condition. The complainant also conducted search on the google and found the accused had not taken any permission from Broadcasting Ministry or from the Government and they had also given incomplete details. Under the garb of the contest, the accused are running the business of flesh trade and also indulging in drug trafficking. The contestants are being physically exploited. Accordingly, on the basis of the complaint, the FIR has been registered.

(3.) I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the record.