The Mahakumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings in India, has been marred by a shocking privacy violation. Gujarat Police have arrested three individuals, including a YouTuber from Prayagraj, for allegedly filming and distributing inappropriate videos of women bathing at the Mahakumbh. The videos were uploaded on social media platforms such as YouTube and Telegram, leading to swift legal action. Since the festival began on January 13, law enforcement agencies have registered 17 First Information Reports (FIRs) against various social media accounts for sharing objectionable content.
YouTuber and Two Others Arrested for Sharing Sensitive Videos
According to Lavina Sinha, Deputy Commissioner of Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Police, one of the accused, Chandra Prakash, a Prayagraj resident, operated a YouTube channel named CP Monda, where he uploaded videos of female pilgrims bathing at the Mahakumbh. He was apprehended from Prayagraj on Wednesday.
The other two suspects, Prajwal Teli and Praj Patil, were arrested from Latur and Sangli in Maharashtra. These individuals were involved in uploading explicit content on Telegram, including illegally obtained hospital footage of female patients from a Rajkot-based medical facility. Reports suggest that these videos were monetized, earning the accused significant sums from subscribers.
Accused Obtained Footage from Hackers and Other Sources
Investigations have revealed that Prajwal and Praj procured hospital CCTV footage through hackers, while Chandra Prakash sourced similar content from other YouTube channels before re-uploading it on his platform. Authorities are now investigating whether he also intended to sell these videos for financial gain.
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Although Prajwal and Praj were acquainted with each other, they had no direct connections with Chandra Prakash.
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Both were 12th-grade graduates and were preparing for the NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) exams in Latur at the time of their arrest.
Accused Earned Lakhs by Selling Explicit Clips Online
All three accused have been taken into police custody until March 1 as investigations continue. Authorities uncovered that the leaked videos included footage from Payal Maternity Home in Rajkot, obtained through a cyberattack on the hospital's CCTV system.
Key Findings:
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Prajwal and Praj sold these explicit videos online for Rs 800 to Rs 2,000 per clip.
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Over the span of 7-8 months, they managed to accumulate Rs 8-9 lakh through the illegal distribution of such content.
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Law enforcement officials recovered approximately 2,000 inappropriate video clips from their devices, including footage taken from public places.
Ongoing Investigation and Legal Action
The police are actively investigating the possibility of further arrests and are working to dismantle the network involved in such privacy breaches. Officials have urged citizens to report such activities and have issued strict warnings against those engaging in cybercrimes, privacy violations, and online exploitation.
This incident highlights the growing concerns around digital privacy and cyber safety, urging stronger enforcement of cybersecurity measures to protect individuals from such exploitation.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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