The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) has taken decisive action this week, registering a total of eight criminal cases related to the online circulation of child sexual exploitative and abuse material (CSEAM). The cases were filed in Hyderabad on Monday, marking a significant crackdown on digital crimes against children.
International Cooperation Leads to Cases
The investigation was initiated based on specific cyber tipline reports received from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in the United States. These critical reports were channeled to Indian authorities through the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). Acting swiftly on this intelligence, the dedicated TGCSB team in Hyderabad proceeded to register the cases against suspects located in various parts of the city and its surrounding areas.
All cases have been registered under the stringent Section 67-B of the Information Technology (IT) Act. This section specifically prescribes punishment for publishing or transmitting material that depicts children in sexually explicit acts in electronic form. Preliminary findings indicate that the accused individuals utilized several popular social media platforms to circulate the illegal content. The platforms named in the investigation include Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat. The TGCSB team is currently engaged in efforts to conclusively identify all the suspects involved.
The Mechanism Behind the Crackdown
This enforcement action is backed by a formal framework of international cooperation established to combat online child exploitation. To proactively gather intelligence on CSEAM circulating in web spaces, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) and I4C, representing the Government of India, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NCMEC. This crucial agreement was signed on April 26, 2019.
The MoU enables Indian agencies to receive cyber tipline reports from NCMEC. These reports contain detailed information about CSEAM, as flagged and reported by various Electronic Service Providers (ESPs) globally. Upon receipt, the I4C systematically forwards these reports to the police forces of respective states and Union Territories based on jurisdictional boundaries. For Telangana, the TGCSB serves as the nodal agency responsible for handling and acting upon all such tipline reports.
A Strong Stance Against Digital Exploitation
The registration of these eight cases underscores the continued vigilance of cybercrime units in Telangana. It highlights the effective functioning of international partnerships in tracking and prosecuting crimes that transcend physical borders. The use of Section 67-B of the IT Act demonstrates the legal recourse available to authorities to tackle the grave issue of online child sexual abuse material. This operation sends a clear message about the serious consequences awaiting those who engage in the circulation of such exploitative content on digital platforms.
