PRESS RELEASE

New Delhi, 15th December, 2015

The National Human Rights Commission has taken cognizance of a complaint and media reports that in Andhra Pradesh, a call money-cum-sex racket is thriving at the cost of poor and gullible people who become victims of easy loan money at door steps against the guarantee of moveable and immoveable property. The interest rate usually ranges from 120 per cent to 200 per cent. Allegedly, call money scam, busted in the Vijayawada city, revealed that it was not only call money racket but also a sex racket exploiting women sexually who took the call money. The lender can demand return of the money over a call anytime and anywhere. Hundreds of women were threatened, coerced and dragged into flesh trade if they were unable to repay on time.

Mr. Justice D. Murugesan, Member, NHRC has observed that the contents of the press reports and the allegations made in the complaint, if true, would amount to a modern slavery, in the form of call money racket, which is a serious violation of human rights, particularly of women and girls who were dragged down to such slavery by financers and others.

The Commission has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Andhra Pradesh to submit detailed reports on the contents of the press clippings and the allegations made in the complaint. They have also been directed to submit the report on the action taken on the complaints so far received and the action taken to prevent such call money racket cum sex racket within a period of two weeks.

Reportedly, the gullible women or women in need of money for domestic purpose are targeted and exploited by using call money system. The modus operandi used is to advance loan to women and housewives who are in dire need of money and when they fail to repay, the lenders would threaten them. As the harassment keeps increasing, the women become defenseless, the lenders exploit them sexually by sending suggestive messages on Whatsapp and finally break them by making them to surrender. In that process, the women were forced into flesh trade.

The complainants included Dr. N. Raghuveera Reddy, Former Minister, Government of Andhra Pradesh, four Members of Parliament, Shri J.D. Saleem, Shri K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao, Shri T. Subbirami Reddy, Shri Jairam Ramesha and Smt. Sunkara Padmasree. They also handed over some news clippings on the issue.

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