Coimbatore, December 26: A notorious online sex racketeer and two accomplices were arrested from Kottaipalayam on the outskirts of the city by Kovilpalayam police on Saturday evening. Five women including a television actress were rescued by police.
Police said the kingpin of the racket, Kovai Balaji alias N Balaji, 37, was involved in a series of such cases in Mettupalayam and Chennai. Balaji, a native of Dindigul district, was reportedly running an online sex racket and was posting his mobile number on the internet for clients, police said.
Recently, he took a house on rent at V J Nagar at Kottaipalayam near Kovilpalayam in Coimbatore district. He introduced himself as a textile merchant to neighbours, who grew suspicious of his activities and alerted Kovilpalayam police. A police team led by Inspector S Subburathinam raided the house on Saturday and arrested Balaji and his accomplices B Krishnamoorthy, 47, from Adambakkam in Chennai and A Lakshmi, 47, from Andhra Pradesh. The arrested have been sent to Coimbatore central prison. Five women rescued from the house have been sent to government women protection home at Sanganoor in the city.
One of the victims was a Tamil TV serial actor while the other was a group dancer in the film industry. According to police, Balaji had links with flesh trade rackets operating in Tamil Nadu and Kerala and other states also. He was booked on similar charges last year and has a number of cases pending against his name in Chennai. He was charged twice under the Goondas Act in Chennai.
“We had planned to conduct surprise raids at various places in the district. Our police team was watching the sex racket’s activities,” said E S Uma, superintendent of police, Coimbatore district.
The police claimed that Balaji used to operate through the internet and have uploaded his multiple mobile numbers on several porn and escort services websites.
In April this year, police had reported a clash involving Balaji and a notorious gangster, M Kabali alias Ilamurugan at the Coimbatore central prison. Kabali had asked Balaji for Rs 10,000 cash while they were waiting in the queue for breakfast in the prison complex. When Balaji sought two days time, Kabali reportedly hit him. Balaji was then in jail after the anti-vice squad of Coimbatore city police arrested him. In June, city police busted an online sex racket which was led by Balaji’s wife, Santhiya, who managed to evade arrest. She had taken over the reins of the racket when Balaji was arrested. Santhiya is still absconding though Balaji came out prison soon after.
–TOI