Kolkata, 11 June (H.S.) -

In a significant development in the ongoing pornography and sexual exploitation case that has rocked West Bengal, police from Domjur Police Station in Howrah have arrested the mother of the main accused, Shweta Khan. Meanwhile, Shweta’s three-year-old daughter, who had been missing, was successfully rescued from a residence in Kolkata and brought back to Domjur.

According to police sources, Shweta Khan had gone into hiding after allegedly leaving her minor daughter in the care of an acquaintance. Her son, Aryan Khan, is also currently untraceable. Police are actively pursuing multiple leads to locate both mother and son.

Authorities have also secured a court order to search Shweta Khan’s flat in Fakirpara, located in the Bankra area. Investigators suspect that a young woman from Sodepur was illegally confined in the apartment and subjected to prolonged physical and sexual abuse. Police believe that surveillance footage and other digital evidence from CCTV hard drives installed in the flat could yield crucial information regarding the case.

A senior officer at Domjur Police Station confirmed that the search warrant was granted on Tuesday, following a formal request made in court a day earlier. The officer stated that the flat search could not only uncover direct evidence of the crimes but also potentially reveal the current whereabouts of the absconding accused.

Local sources have revealed that Shweta had been married twice. Her son Aryan and her late daughter Ishika were from her first marriage. Ishika’s father has alleged that the girl died by suicide due to mistreatment by her mother. Shweta reportedly has a daughter from her second marriage — the child who has now been recovered by police.

The case has also drawn the attention of the National Commission for Women (NCW). The commission has issued a notice to West Bengal Director General of Police, Rajeev Kumar, demanding an “Action Taken Report” within three days.

The condition of the victim, a young woman allegedly held captive in the flat, continues to deteriorate. She was shifted to the ICU at Sagar Dutta Hospital late Tuesday night after earlier being admitted to the surgical ward. Her family claims that she has sustained serious injuries, including head trauma, fractured ribs and leg, and broken teeth due to prolonged physical assault.

Police are currently interrogating Shweta Khan’s mother in an effort to gather intelligence on the fugitives’ possible hideouts and contacts.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh