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Rahul Pasupalan, who was the key organizer of the 'Kiss Protests' in Kerala last year, and his model wife were among six arrested On Wednesday in connection with an online prostitution case.
Rahul and his wife Reshmi R Nair were arrested from a hotel near Nedumbassery airport in Kochi in simultaneous raids conducted in various parts of the state. Their six-year-old son was with them when they were arrested.
Two minor girls, who were with the accused at the hotel at the time of the raid, are being questioned and efforts are on to track their parents, IGP (Crimes) S Sreejith, told reporters. Two women managed to give police the slip and escape.
The main accused in the case is Kader alias Akbar, others involve Linesh Mathew, a woman hailing from Bengaluru, who brought the two minor children for trafficking, Ajish and Ashique, he said.
The accused have been brought to the state capital and are being questioned, police said.
Sreejith said Rahul Pashupalan and his wife were directly involved in the case. Police decoys had got in touch with Kader, masquerading as customers and they were sent photographs of Reshmi and details. "Discussions were held and lot of bargaining went on", the official said.
Another seven persons have been arrested for uploading photographs of minor girls and posting obscene comments on a Facebook book site promising escort service.
"Child Pornography is a big offence globally", he said, adding Facebook officials had cooperated with them fully.
Cases under various Sections of IPC, under sect 67 of IT act and POSCO (Protection of children from sexual offences) act were registered against the accused.
"We will probe the background of all the accused", the official said.
Twenty mobile phones, two cars, a tab were among items recovered from the accused.
Photograph: Rahul's Facebook profile