Indore e-rickshaw driver hired by school arrested for sharing child porn clips

A 60-year-old man has been arrested in Indore for allegedly sharing illegal and objectionable videos involving minors on WhatsApp. An e-rickshaw driver by profession, the man was responsible for transporting children to and from a private school in the city.

According to the cyber cell of Indore Police, a case has been registered under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act, including Section 67B, which pertains to the electronic circulation of harmful content related to children. His mobile phone has also been seized as part of the investigation.

The case came to light after the cyber cell received a tip-off via an international cyber tipline named National Centre for Missing & Exploited Children, which monitors the online circulation of sensitive content involving minors. During the investigation, police found that Irshad had allegedly shared three such videos via WhatsApp. Police also revealed that the accused had been under monitoring by WhatsApp Inc, headquartered in the United States, due to suspicious online activity. In an attempt to erase digital traces, Irshad had reportedly formatted his mobile phone in 2022. However, the cyber team was able to recover crucial data from the device using technical tools.

Preliminary analysis of the videos suggested that the material may have originated from foreign sources, though further verification is underway. The content in question is strictly prohibited under Indian law. Authorities are now informing the private school where the accused was employed. A formal notice is being sent to the school management, directing them to take appropriate internal action regarding his employment and conduct.

Revealing the details of the case, Inspector Dinesh Verma of the Cyber Cell said, "The accused had shared three pornographic clips involving children through WhatsApp,” Verma said. “He thought formatting his phone would protect him, but our technical team recovered the deleted content using advanced digital forensics."

SUPREME COURT CALLS CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CRUEL

Child pornography, which includes both videos and images involving sexual activities with or exploitation of minors, is classified as a serious criminal offence under Indian law. It is important to note that videos depicting sexual activities involving minors fall under the category of child pornography, which includes both videos and images. Last year, the Supreme Court strongly objected to a judgment by the Madras High Court on this matter, calling it cruel. In its ruling, the Madras High Court had refused to classify child pornography as a criminal offence.

- Ends