New Delhi: A junior engineer in Uttar Pradesh’s Irrigation Department has been arrested for his alleged involvement in sexual exploitation of 50 minors over the years and selling of their videos and photos on the dark net for almost 10 years, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said Tuesday.
Rambhawan, a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Chitrakoot district, was arrested Monday from his residence on charges of sexually exploiting children aged between 5-16 years. The victims belong to Banda, Chitrakoot and the surrounding areas in Uttar Pradesh.
Apart from the physical abuse of these children, the CBI said, the accused used to record the acts using their mobile phones, laptops and other electronic devices. It is learnt during his interrogation that he used to gift mobiles and money to these children so that they do not reveal his acts to anyone.
In his interrogation, Rambhawan informed the CBI that these photographs and video films containing child sexual abuse material were published and transmitted by him using various internet services like Skype and Kit.
“The accused used the dark web for sale, transmission and sharing of such content with other individuals,” the CBI said.
The CBI Monday conducted searches at the residence of Rambhawan and recovered Rs 8 lakh cash, mobile phones, laptops, web-camera and other electronic storage devices including pen-drives, memory cards and several sex toys.
Investigators said that Rambhawan allegedly used these electronic items and gadgets to lure children falling in the age group of 5-16 years.
The scrutiny of the emails of Rambhawan has revealed that he was allegedly in constant touch with several individuals (both Indian and foreign nationals) for the purpose of sharing child sexual abuse material, the CBI said.
The accused has allegedly created and shared huge quantity of child sexual abusive material, over the years, through the internet using various social media platforms and websites over the dark net, it added.
A special “Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Prevention or Investigation (OCSAE)” unit has been created in the CBI for matters pertaining to online child sexual abuse and exploitation.
Apart from receiving various references or information, the unit is undertaking investigation of various offences relating to online child sexual abuse and exploitation.