The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is conducting searches at around 76 locations across the country in 14 states and Union territories (UTs) in connection with online child sexual abuse and exploitation. These states and UTs include Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, UP, Punjab, Bihar, Odisha, Tamilnadu, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Haryana.
According to an official statement, the CBI on November 14 registered 23 separate cases against 83 accused on allegations regarding online child sexual abuse and exploitation.
In 2019, the CBI set up an online child sexual abuse and exploitation (OCSAE) prevention/investigation unit as a part of its special crime zone. The OCSAE unit is responsible for collecting and disseminating information regarding the publication and transmission of information relating to online child sexual abuse and exploitation.
With the help of this unit, the CBI in 2020 was able to arrest an Uttar Pradesh government engineer for allegedly sexually exploiting about 50 minor children for the last decade and selling videos and photographs of nefarious acts on the darknet to other paedophiles across the world.
Rambhawan, the accused, is alleged to have preyed upon the children between 5 -16 years of Chitrakoot, Banda and Hamirpur districts of the state, officials told news agency in November last year.