NEW DELHI: A trial court has ordered shutting down of a brothel on GB Road here saying it was illegally detaining women and forcing them into flesh trade. The court's order came on a complaint regarding a woman from Andhra Pradesh who had been detained there against her wishes and forced into prostitution.

The court awarded one year jail term to a woman in this regard after holding her guilty under various section of Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act. It also slapped a fine of Rs 4,000 on her. However, the court expressed displeasure over the manner in which Delhi Police dealt with the case saying the investigative agency "made desperate attempts to shield the real culprits in the case".

Additional sessions judge Kaveri Baweja made the remarks while noting police's submissions that they were unable to trace the brothel's owner. The court held it was revealed during investigation that the owner was one Sujata but police chose not to prosecute her. "Despite having this knowledge, the investigating agency failed to prosecute the said lady... namely Sujata.

No supplementary chargesheet was filed against the said lady after taking appropriate steps to either trace her or after getting her declared proclaimed offender, in case she was not traceable," the court said.

The court also directed DCP Central to look into the matter as to why no serious attempts were made by police to trace the real culprit. "There is no explanation as to why the matter was not looked into and no serious attempts were made to find the lessee of the aforesaid kotha despite her own affidavit to this effect containing her complete particulars ... being within the knowledge of investigating agency. This apparently is nothing but a deliberate attempt to shield the real culprits for reasons which may be best known to the investigating agency," the judge said.

A complaint was received on May 27, 2013 regarding illegal detention of a woman from Andhra Pradesh. The victim alleged that she was brought to Delhi on the promise of a job but was detained at the brothel and forced into prostitution for about nine months. She was rescued by police after a man, with whom she had shared her story, informed the police.