One held, 54 suspects identified for viewing, sharing child porn

Punjab Police’s cybercrime division has arrested one person and identified 54 suspects involved in viewing, transmitting and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) using various online platforms, DGP Gaurav Yadav said this here today.

The development comes close on the heels of a judgement passed by the Supreme Court clarifying that viewing, possessing and not reporting CSAM content is punishable under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act.

The accused has been identified as Vijaypal, a resident of Ramsra in Fazilka. Police teams have also seized electronic devices with proper hash values recorded. An FIR has been registered under Section 67-B of the Information Technology (IT) Act at the cyber police station in this regard.

Yadav said following the cyber tip lines regarding transmission of CSAM content received from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the state cyber crime division in coordination with CPs/SSPs launched a special operation to apprehend individuals involved in viewing and distributing such content.

He said in the first phase of the operation as many as 54 suspects have been identified across Punjab, while one person found selling and sharing CSAM using social media has been arrested from Fazilka.

The DGP said police teams seized 39 devices from suspects during the operation and these were being sent for forensic analysis. Further, investigation is underway to identify and apprehend more offenders involved in such heinous crimes, he added.

Sharing more details, ADGP Cybercrime V Neeraja said the operation was still going on and more arrests are expected in coming days.