KAJOL
Kajol’s testimony is one of inspiration; the rescue and its challenges happened in 2009. The police and our team were without transport and had to hire auto rickshaws. Time was precious. Upon reaching the red light district, we found that our operatives were not allowed into the brothels; there had been a tip off. The girls that had been identified for rescue could not be found. We caught the brothel keeper lingering nearby and proceeded to raid the building after breaking through a door, one of the targeted girls was found locked in a small room on the roof and taken into custody. The police and Freedom Firm workers tried to convince her to give an accurate statement. Our investigator - who had posed as a customer- eventually persuaded Kajol into cooperating. She bravely chose freedom.
After Kajol was rescued, she was immediately restored to her family and Freedom Firm lost contact with her. When her case came up, our social workers were determined to find her. Armed with an address from the police and a connection in West Bengal, (another rescued girl’s father) Kajol was found. Within weeks she testified in Pune. Seeing Kajol at court the accused panicked, and admitted herself into a local hospital - a ploy to delay the court proceedings. This went on for weeks until finally the Judge intervened. The defendant then tried using political sway, but the case resulted in a conviction in 2012. The accused immediately applied for and was granted bail. The case is now pending in the High Court. The path to justice demands persistence and a measure of faith. The good news is that Kajol is married to a good man, and she is safe.
In 2012, other girls testified and they will continue to do so in the following years. Our goal is to achieve convictions and hold perpetrators accountable. That is the message we want to send – that those profiting from the exploitation of minor girls will be found and brought to justice.
Kajol’s testimony is one of inspiration; the rescue and its challenges happened in 2009. The police and our team were without transport and had to hire auto rickshaws. Time was precious. Upon reaching the red light district, we found that our operatives were not allowed into the brothels; there had been a tip off. The girls that had been identified for rescue could not be found. We caught the brothel keeper lingering nearby and proceeded to raid the building after breaking through a door, one of the targeted girls was found locked in a small room on the roof and taken into custody. The police and Freedom Firm workers tried to convince her to give an accurate statement. Our investigator - who had posed as a customer- eventually persuaded Kajol into cooperating. She bravely chose freedom.
After Kajol was rescued, she was immediately restored to her family and Freedom Firm lost contact with her. When her case came up, our social workers were determined to find her. Armed with an address from the police and a connection in West Bengal, (another rescued girl’s father) Kajol was found. Within weeks she testified in Pune. Seeing Kajol at court the accused panicked, and admitted herself into a local hospital - a ploy to delay the court proceedings. This went on for weeks until finally the Judge intervened. The defendant then tried using political sway, but the case resulted in a conviction in 2012. The accused immediately applied for and was granted bail. The case is now pending in the High Court. The path to justice demands persistence and a measure of faith. The good news is that Kajol is married to a good man, and she is safe.
In 2012, other girls testified and they will continue to do so in the following years. Our goal is to achieve convictions and hold perpetrators accountable. That is the message we want to send – that those profiting from the exploitation of minor girls will be found and brought to justice.