Manipur police arrested 13 people, including a minor, for allegedly circulating and monetising non-consensual explicit videos and photographs of local women, including child sexual abuse material (CSAM), through multiple Telegram channels and WhatsApp groups, police said on Tuesday.
A senior police officer on Tuesday said that the accused were arrested on Monday night following an investigation under Operation Dignity, which was launched after the police received credible information about channels allegedly involved in circulating such material, including CSAM.
A suo motu case was registered under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
During the investigation, a police team led by Leishangthem Jeebit Singh, sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Moirang in Bishnupur district, recovered and seized 14 mobile phones and a laptop allegedly used to commit the offences.
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The investigation revealed that Telegram channels and WhatsApp groups were allegedly being used to distribute sexually explicit content, with access sold to subscribers. Many of the clips reportedly featured women from Manipur who had not consented to their distribution.
A police statement said, “The investigation indicates the network is organised, profit-driven, and self-sustaining, with subscriber demand encouraging further recording and release.”
According to the statement, administrators used teaser previews on open platforms to attract subscribers, charging between ₹150 and ₹500 through digital payment platforms before providing access to private groups.
A senior police officer, requesting anonymity, told HT that the investigation had uncovered “an organised secondary market fuelled by non-consensual leaks, hacking, and in several instances, direct production and grave non-consensual sexual exploitation by the accused”.
The officer said the police identified more than 150 active Telegram channels and WhatsApp groups and had neutralised 38 of them.
“We have recovered more than 6,000 video clips, and many of them were found to have been captured using hidden cameras, AI-generated content and other means without the consent of the victims,” the officer said.
“It was also found that most of the videos were taken using hidden cameras and mobile phones in restrooms, hotels and changing rooms,” the officer added.
The officer said most of the accused were college students, school dropouts, labourers and employees of private institutions. The officer added that more people could be involved in the alleged crimes.
“As the investigation is underway, no further information can be provided about the accused or victims,” the officer said.
The arrested persons have been identified as N Rajesh Singh alias Maipakchao (21), from Bishnupur; H Dhanajit Singh alias Taison (19), from Bishnupur; S Saphaba Singh (19), from Imphal West; Th Cavendish Singh alias Ingocha (21), from Kakching; H Rojit Singh (19), from Bishnupur; M Clinton Singh (28), from Bishnupur; Kh Bipin Singh (31), from Thoubal; S Simpson Singh (34), from Imphal West; A Aria Singh (24), from Bishnupur; S Alexander Singh (31), from Kakching; K Rakesh Singh (18), from Imphal West; Ch Robert Singh (27), from Imphal West; and one child in conflict with the law.
The police statement said the investigation was underway to establish the wider network, trace financial transactions and identify additional victims.
In an advisory issued on Tuesday, Bishnupur police warned the public against possessing, circulating, forwarding or hosting non-consensual intimate media and CSAM, stating that such acts could attract criminal prosecution under applicable laws.
The police also cautioned that paying subscription fees to access private groups did not guarantee anonymity and that subscribers could face prosecution if found to be involved in the alleged network.
The public has been urged not to forward teaser clips, previews or group links and to report offending accounts and links to the police.
Parents and guardians have been advised to monitor children’s online activities, particularly on Telegram and WhatsApp, and encourage them to report uncomfortable behaviour, unauthorised image leaks, hacking or online blackmail.
The police assured victims that their identities will remain protected in accordance with statutory requirements. They also said assistance will be provided to facilitate content removal through StopNCII and platform-level takedown mechanisms, along with access to legal aid, trauma counselling and state victim compensation support.
The statement further warned that investigators were tracing digital evidence, including UPI transactions, bank accounts, QR payment records and device identifiers, to identify others allegedly involved in the network.