24 May,2010 08:22 AM IST | | Amit Singh
The Commonwealth Games Organising Committee finally cracked the whip on escort agencies using the official games mascot and logo on their websites to lure international clients.
After MiD DAY reported ('Commonwealth logo on escort websites' dated May 20, 2010) how escort agencies were sporting the official mascot of the Gamesu00a0- Sherau00a0- and the logo of the mega sporting event to attract tourists expected in the wake of the sporting extravaganza, the websites were blocked on Thursday and the mobile phone numbers given on them switched off.
Though the Organising Committee did not claim credit for the move, they had vowed immediate action against the offenders when MiD DAY spoke to them on Wednesday.
Vivek Vohra, a Delhi-based cyber crime expert, said: "This is one illegal business that is flourishing really fast. The websites are one-point contact for those looking for a call girl. The ISP of the sites may have been barred but such measures are only temporary. It hardly takes Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 to start a new website and get hosted by a proxy server."u00a0
Two sites mentioned in the MiD DAY story on Thursdayu00a0-- www.cwgdelhiescorts.com and www.cwgescorts.comu00a0-- have been closed down, but sources say there might be a number of others that would go to any extent to cash in on all the hype and hoopla around these Games.