18 Other Girls Hired By Agency That Placed Minor With Gurugram Couple: Cops

The Delhi-based placement agency which had got a 17-year-old girl a job as domestic help at a married couple's house, where she was physically tortured, placed 18 girls in all in the last four years, police here said on Monday.

Police found the information in a diary it seized from the agency's office. Three of these girls are working in Delhi, Chandigarh, and Panipat and are in the process of being located, they said.

Arun Turi, the agency owner, and his partner Manoj Nag were produced in a city court on Monday, after the end of their two-day police remand and were sent to judicial custody.

A husband-wife couple, Manish Khattar and Kamaljeet Kaur, was arrested last week for allegedly physically torturing the 17-year-old domestic help who worked at their house.

The victim is still being treated at the Civil Hospital in Gurugram. Her statement could not be recorded on Monday too as she is still not fit for it, police said.

According to the police, the girl was burned with a hot tong in her ear and had to undergo an ear surgery at the hospital because of the severity of her condition.

The District Welfare Department has announced compensation for the girl, welfare officer Jitender Kumar on Monday said.

Meanwhile, Sonia Yadav, a member of the Child Welfare Committee, said that a bank account in the name of the victim was opened on Monday in a Canara Bank branch, in which she will receive all financial assistance.

As it happened, a 19-year-old sister of the victim was called for questioning by the Sakhi Centre on Monday.

Gurugram Police on Monday conducted a search in of the office of the placement agency - Nehru Group Services – located in Shivaji Nagar of Tagore Garden in Delhi.

During the search, police also found that the agency is registered in the name of Turi's wife.

Manoj Kumar, ACP, Udyog Vihar said most of the girls placed by the agency have returned to their native places, except three who are working in Chandigarh, Delhi, and Panipat.

"We got the name and locations of these three domestic helps. We are going to find out whether they were hired by the agency legally, and if they are minor, and whether they got their salary and are they in contact with their families, etc," said ACP Kumar.

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