WhatsApp group admin held by CBI for sharing child porn

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday busted a global child pornography network operating through social media, and registered a case against members of a WhatsApp group for allegedly circulating porn videos.

The agency arrested one of the administrators of the WhatsApp group, Nikihil Verma, who along with four others, ran the group named "KidsXXX", and raided five places in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.

"Searches were conducted at five places in Delhi, Noida, Kannauj and Mumbai, which led to the recovery of mobile phones, tablets and laptops, containing the alleged incriminating material depicting children in obscene, indecent and sexually explicit acts," said CBI spokesperson Abhishek Dayal.

The agency searched the premises of Verma and the other four group administrators — Satyendra Chauhan, Nafees Raja, Zahid and Adarsh.

The agency is also trying to determine whether the accused were charging money for sharing porn.

This group was in existence for two years and Verma was operating from Kannauj in UP. Verma, 20, is an unemployed commerce graduate.

The agency has registered a case under section 67-B of the Information & Technology Act and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) against members of the group, which has been active for two years now.

Verma will be brought to Delhi on transit remand.

Global Ring 

The group has 199 members from 18 countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Brazil, Sri Lanka,  the US and China.