JUDGMENT :

1. Rule. Rule made returnable forthwith. Heard finally with the consent of the learned Counsel for the petitioners and the learned APP for the State.

2. At the outset, it is worthwhile to mention herein that the petitioners are victims in connection with a crime registered by the Police under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 (for short “the said Act”), who are alleged to have been compelled to involve themselves in prostitution, their identity, therefore, needs to be concealed. The petitioners, therefore, shall be referred to as “victims (A), (B) and (C)”. The Registry is directed to maintain the record accordingly.

3. This petition takes exception to an order dated 19.10.2019 passed by the Metropolitan Magistrate, Mazgaon under Section 17(2) of the said Act as well as an order dated 22.11.2019 passed by the Additional Sessions Judge, Dindoshi in Criminal Appeal No. 284 of 2019 which upheld the order dated 19.10.2019.

4. The facts in brief can be summarized as follows.

5. The complainant-Rupesh Ramchandra More, Police Constable attached to Social Service Branch, approached the office of the Social Service Branch, Mumbai where he was informed by P.I. Mr. Revle about