Circulating non-consensual intimate videos 13 including juvenile held

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Oct 13: Bishnupur district police, in coordination with police from other districts, have arrested 13 individuals, including a child in conflict with law, for allegedly possessing, circulating and forwarding non-consensual intimate videos and Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) through Telegram channels and WhatsApp groups, said Bishnupur Superintendent of Police Ksh Ravikumar.
The arrested persons have been identified as N Rajesh alias Maipakchao (21) of Bishnupur; H Dhananjit alias Taison (19) of Bishnupur; S Saphaba Singh (19) of Imphal West; Th Cavendish Singh alias Ingocha (21) of Kakching; H Rojit Singh (19) of Bishnupur; M Clinton Singh (28) of Bishnupur; Kh Bipin Singh (31) of Thoubal; S Simpson Singh (34) of Imphal West; A Aria Singh (24) of Bishnupur; S Alexander Singh (31) of Kakching; K Rakesh Singh (18) of Imphal West; Ch Robert Singh (27) of Imphal West; and the child in conflict with law.
Apart from the juvenile, the other 12 accused persons were presented before the media with their faces concealed.
Addressing the media at the SP Conference Hall of Bishnupur district police headquarters this afternoon, the police officer said the arrests were made at different locations across Manipur and in Tamil Nadu since the beginning of October.
Police have also taken down 33 channels uploading such videos and photographs, he said.
The SP said that Bishnupur district police received credible information in early October that administrators and users of multiple Telegram channels were circulating, trading and monetising non-consensual explicit videos and photographs of Manipuri women, including CSAM.
Based on the information, he said that Bishnupur district police registered a suo motu case under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
An operation codenamed "Operation Dignity" was launched under the leadership of the SDPO, Moirang, he said.
During the investigation, police found that Telegram channels and WhatsApp groups were used to distribute sexually explicit content, he said and  added that access to the content was sold to subscribers, and many of the clips  featured women from Manipur who had not consented to their distribution.
The SP further stated that the investigation indicated an organised, profit-driven and self-sustaining network, with subscriber demand encouraging the further recording and circulation of videos and photographs through the channels and groups.
Administrators of the channels and groups used teaser previews on open platforms to attract subscribers and charged subscription fees ranging from Rs 150 to Rs 500 and above through UPI, Google Pay, PhonePe and BHIM before granting access to private groups, he said.
The SP added that preliminary investigation also revealed an organised secondary market involving non-consensually leaked videos and photographs, hacking and, in some instances, the direct produc- tion of content through non-consensual sexual exploi- tation.
Under Operation Dignity, Bishnupur district police, in coordination with police from other districts, have so far arrested 13 individuals, including one child in conflict with law, on different dates at various locations in the State.
One of the alleged accused was also arrested in Tamil Nadu with the assistance of Tamil Nadu police, he added.
Police recovered 14 mobile phones and one laptop in connection with the case, he said and added that further investigation is underway.
He warned that the district police would continue their crackdown on the remaining administrators of Telegram channels and WhatsApp groups, content providers and subscribers who paid for access to the material.
The SP urged those involved to surrender before the police at the earliest.
The officer also appealed to victims of such offences to come forward and report the cases, emphasising that they were not at fault for the non-consensual circulation of explicit material.
He also assured them that police are committed to protecting their dignity and identity and securing justice and urged parents and guardians not to take children's safety for granted, cautioning that children could be vulnerable to unauthorised filming and exploitation even within trusted circles.
Meanwhile, sources said the arrested persons had been produced before the Courts concerned in Bishnupur district on different dates and remanded to police custody till October 14 and 16.
S Simpson Singh and A Aria Singh were produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bishnupur, on October 9 and remanded to police custody till October 16, sources said.
S Saphaba Singh, Th Cavendish Singh and H Rojit Singh were produced before the same Court on October 10 and remanded to police custody till October 14.
M Clinton Singh, Kh Bipin Singh, H Dhananjit and K Rakesh Singh were produced before the Duty Magistrate on October 10 and remanded to police custody till October 14.
The child in conflict with law was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board, Bishnupur, and sent to an observation home, sources added.