Thirteen people, including a juvenile, have been apprehended in Manipur for allegedly circulating and monetising non-consensual explicit videos and photographs through Telegram channels, police said on Tuesday.
An FIR was registered at Moirang police station in Bishnupur district after police received information that administrators and users of multiple Telegram channels were allegedly trading and distributing explicit content featuring local women without their consent, including child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Police launched an investigation, codenamed Operation Dignity, and arrested 12 people while detaining a juvenile in connection with the case.
The apprehensions were made in Bishnupur, Imphal West and Kakching districts. Police also seized 14 mobile phones during the operation.
The investigation is ongoing to identify the wider network, trace financial transactions linked to the alleged activities and determine whether there are additional victims, police said.