Telangana police arrest 43 in child pornography cases

HYDERABAD: Telangana state police arrested 43 people in Child Pornography cases based on Tiplines reports.

ADGP CID, Mahesh M.Bhagwat, recently conducted a state-level review meeting of Cyber Crime cases lodged in different Telangana police stations based on Tiplines. Tiplines primarily involve uploading and broad distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).

A total of 31 incidents were reviewed at various stages of investigation. 43 persons have been arrested thus far. Following the investigation, 21 individuals were apprehended in ten separate cases. 22 arrests had been made in 16 cases during the review. Following the review, a total of 13 new cases were registered. As of today, 44 cases have been registered using Tiplines.

34 cases are under investigation, while 8 (PT) cases have been charged and are being prosecuted. During the evaluation, ADG, CID directed all 1.0.s to expedite investigations and give high attention to CSAM cases in order to secure convictions. The ADG of CID commended the 1.0.s for ensuring quick arrests and filing of charge sheets in Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) cases.

Posting and sharing pornographic material on social media is punishable under Sections 66 (E), 67 (A), and 67 (B) of the IT Act (B). IT Act 2000 - 2008, Sec 13 r/w POSCO Act 2012, IPC 354 (C), and sentence of up to I 1 to 3 years + fine for first conviction, I 3 to 7 years + fine for second or subsequent convictions.

Additional The Director General of Police, CID, Hyderabad, has warned offenders to avoid such criminal acts or else the law would take its own course. Suspect papers would be reviewed as well, and repeat offenders would face preventative detention.

TIPLINES

Tiplines are online tips about the distribution of (Child Sexual Abuse Material(CSAM) provided to State CID by the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB).

CID assesses these Tiplines and submits the same to jurisdictional police for registering of FIRS. CID monitors the progress of such cases on a regular basis.

Sneha Mehra, DCP, CCPS, Hyderabad; T.V. Hanumantha Rao, Addl. SP, Cyber Crimes, CID, TS, Hyderabad; K. Guna Sekhar, DSP, Cyber Crimes, CID, TS, Hyderabad; M. Prasad, Inspector, Cyber Crimes, CID, TS, Hyderabad; and all investigating officers of Tipline cases from different units of Telangana attended the meeting.