CBI registers POCSO case over sale of child sexual abuse content

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case under POCSO and Information Technology ACt against a Delhi-based man and unknown others for sale of child sexual abuse material through mobile applications, officials said on Friday.

A CBI official said that the accused had created three accounts and around 20 channels/groups on Telegram messaging application for the sale of objectionable material.

Of these 20 accounts, two accounts were for advertising posts or messages for the sale of obscene videos or photos, including child sexual abuse content.

The official said that those who responded to the advertisements, they were asked to pay up the accused via Paytm or Google Pay etc.

"On receipt of payments, the accused allegedly shared the links of various groups or channels of Telegram, in which objectionable material was shared with members. The accused sold obscene videos or pictures for as less as Rs 250 by adding customers into these groups or channels," the official said.

The CBI team searched the premises of accused in Delhi recently and seized a mobile phone whose contents were being analysed.

The CBI has a special unit named 'Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Prevention/Investigation (OCSAE)' to deal with matters pertaining to online sexual abuse of children.