CBI arrests man from Mathura over child porn
CBI said it registered a case on June 17 suo-motu on serious allegations including the creation, collection, storage, and uploading of CSAM depicting minors in explicit sexual acts.
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested an individual from Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura for allegedly sexually assaulting minor children and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), agency said on Saturday, adding several children have been rescued.
The accused has been identified as Shyam Bihari, a resident of Mathura.
“As part of its unwavering commitment to combat the menace of child sexual exploitation, the CBI has arrested an accused from Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, in connection with a case involving the sexual assault of minor children and the possession and dissemination of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM),” said a CBI spokesperson in a statement.
The agency said it registered a case on June 17 suo-motu on serious allegations including the creation, collection, storage, and uploading of CSAM depicting minors in explicit sexual acts. “The accused was also in possession of pornographic content involving children, in violation of laws,” the spokesperson said.
The federal agency also conducted searches in the matter on June 19 at his residence and seized incriminating electronic devices.
“Subsequent forensic analysis uncovered a substantial volume of CSAM in the form of images and videos. These materials were corroborated with data from Interpol’s International Child Sexual Exploitation (ICSE) database, as well as Cyber Tipline Reports (CTRs) generated by Google and shared with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs,” the spokesperson said.
“Investigation and analysis of electronic devices revealed the electronic content depicting minor children being raped, sexually assaulted, sexually harassed, threatened and their obscene photographs were taken by the accused in Mathura,” the statement added.
The agency said it swiftly acted and was able to identify, locate, and rescue the minor victim children, without sharing how many children were rescued.
Accordingly, Bihari was taken into custody and is currently being interrogated.
“This case was uncovered by the CBI, as neither the victims nor their families had reported the incidents to any law enforcement agency prior to CBI’s intervention. The case highlights the proactive use of cyber intelligence, hi-tech forensic tools, and international cooperation among various stakeholders in identifying and rescuing victims of such heinous crimes. The CBI reiterates its utmost commitment to bring perpetrators of child sexual abuse to justice and urges citizens to report any such information or suspicion to the appropriate authorities,” agency said.
Earlier, on June 4, based on its investigation and information, the agency has arrested a Hisar based man in a similar separate case.
The ICSE is an intelligence and investigative mechanism that allows investigators to share data on child sexual abuse cases across 70 countries, including India. The database has helped identify 42,300 victims and 18,300 offenders.
Child sexual abuse is punishable in India under the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), while the Information Technology Act provides for punishment for publishing, browsing, or transmitting child pornography.
In 2018, the Supreme Court asked the government to frame guidelines to eliminate child pornography, rape and gang-rape imageries, videos and sites from content hosting platforms and applications. An ad-hoc Rajya Sabha committee in February 2020 recommended the identification of the originators of such content. The panel studied the issue of pornography on social media and its effect on children and society.
As part of the Centre’s steps, the internet service providers are mandated to protect children from sexual abuse. The government blocks the websites containing child sexual abuse material based on Interpol’s “worst-of-list” which CBI periodically shares.
The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules mandate intermediaries to remove or disable access within 24 hours of receipt of complaints of contents that exposes the private areas of individuals, show them in full or partial nudity or in sexual act or is in the nature of impersonation, including morphed imagery. The complaints about cybercrimes against women and children can be filed on the national cyber portal (www.cybercrime.gov.in).
