Chicago or Chennai, flesh trade has the WhatsApp connect

In both the cases, clients and victims were lured via WhatsApp messages. Again, in both, photographs of girls were sent to the clients before confirming the ‘appointment’ and deals were made on an hourly basis. Similarly, whistle blowers were victims who refused to be part of the racket, in both the cases.

In Chennai, actor Jayalakshmi decided to blow the lid off the racket by lodging a police complaint as she was repeatedly getting ‘offers’ from agents on her personal phone number. Based on her complaint, Kaviarasan and Muruga Perumal, who claimed that they were running a dating and relationship services for VIPs and businessmen, were arrested by the Chennai anti-vice squad.

In the case of the Chicago racket, US investigators had arrested Kishan Modugumudi and his wife Chandra Kala for bringing five victims to the US from India for prostitution and other immoral purposes. The two were in Hyderabad till a few years ago, before shifting to the US. They were taken abroad by the couple in guise of attending a Telugu community event there.

The only difference in the racket operated in Chennai and Chicago was in terms of payment. In the US, it was only in dollars ranging from $ 1000 to $ 2000 while in Chennai it was tens of thousands to lakhs of rupees. The agents even permitted bank transfer of money.