Operation Megh Chakra

September 26, 2022

The CBI launched the Operation Megh Chakra to combat the spread of Child Sexual Abuse Materials online.

Key facts

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) launched Operation Megh Chakra on September 24, 2022 to conduct searches at 56 locations across India as part of a nationwide drive against the circulation and sharing of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
This operation was launched after the CBI received intelligence from Interpol’s Singapore special unit based on the information received from authorities in New Zealand.
The CBI has filed two cases accusing that large number of Indian nationals of being involved in online circulation, downloading and transmission of CSAM using cloud-based storage.
The searches were conducted in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and others.
The raids witnessed the seizure of electronic devices, like mobile phones and laptops, that belonged to suspects.
Through these raids, a large quantity of child pornography material was found.
50 suspects are currently being questioned about the identity of child victims and the abusers.
Similar exercise was launched by CBI last year under the code name Operation Carbon.
13 states and 1 Union Territory were raided and the CBI filed 24 cases involving more than 80 people.
The raids under Operation Carbon was conducted in 76 locations across India.
Cases were filed against the suspects under the relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act, for allegedly being part of the syndicate involved in uploading, circulation, selling and viewing of CSAM through various social media platforms and online groups.
Based on the investigations under the operation, the CBI has urged countries to share and gather information about these syndicates under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs).
Apart from Indian nationals, suspects also included individuals from countries like Pakistan, Canada, US, UK, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia etc.