Mohali: Police registered a case after 26 objectionable files, including content linked to child sexual exploitation, were found circulating through two Gmail accounts. Officials said the case was initiated following a tip-off received through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which has been regularly flagging such instances. Acting on the alert, cyber police launched a preliminary inquiry and registered an FIR under Section 67-B of the Information Technology Act, 2000, which deals with offences related to child sexual abuse material online.According to investigators, the two Gmail accounts were used to upload objectionable content on Google Drive. During scrutiny, police recovered 26 files, including 24 photographs and two videos. Of these, 10 photographs and both videos were found to contain child sexual exploitation and abusive material (CSEAM).The investigation, led by inspector Manpreet Kaur, involved technical analysis of digital footprints. Details of IP addresses linked to the accounts were obtained from BSNL. These were traced to a landline connection registered in the name of a resident of Ladhaheri village in Patiala district.Police examined the customer application form (CAF) of the mobile number associated with the accounts and found it was registered in the same name. A notice was issued to Google after which, Google confirmed that both Gmail accounts were being operated using the said mobile number.While police concluded that a cognisable offence had been committed under Section 67-B of the IT Act, the FIR has been registered against an unidentified accused, as physical verification of the suspect is still underway.Officials said teams are working to confirm the identity and involvement of the person linked to the digital evidence. Further investigation is in progress.Police also noted a rise in such cases, with more than eight FIRs already registered in recent months related to online circulation of child sexual exploitation material. Authorities have intensified monitoring and enforcement to curb the spread of such illegal content. MSID:: 130369765 413 |
