Vadodara: A flat in Manjalpur that appeared to be an ordinary residence was allegedly being used as a nude video call centre, with young women hired to strip in front of cameras for paying subscribers.Police busted the illegal operation and arrested 26-year-old Manish Padhiyar, who had allegedly been running the racket for nearly a year.Acting on a tip-off, Manjalpur police raided the flat near Darbar Chowkdi and arrested Padhiyar. Police said he had hired several young women (aged between 19 and 21 years) to appear on an online platform, Stripchat, where subscribers paid to access video calls with them.“Once a subscriber paid, one of the girls would join a video call and strip in front of the camera,” said Kirit Chaudhary, Manjalpur police inspector.The racket came to light after police received one of the videos and began tracing its source. Their investigation led them to Padhiyar, who, police said, had done extensive online research before setting up the operation.Padhiyar, a Class 10 pass out, had earlier worked at a travel agency, where his job involved calling prospective customers. He lost the job about two years ago and, during his period of unemployment, allegedly decided to set up the nude video call operation as a way to make quick money.“He told us that he researched online before starting the centre. He even purchased a flat where the video calls were conducted,” Chaudhary said.Police said Padhiyar is married and lives with his family in another flat in the same locality. Investigators have identified four women who allegedly worked for him and are probing whether others were involved.The amount charged to subscribers increased with the duration of each video call, police said. The earnings from subscriptions and calls were shared between Padhiyar and the women.Padhiyar has been booked under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, and police are investigating the financial transactions and the possible involvement of others in the operation.
