The Ahmedabad Police has detained three individuals from Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh in connection with the leak of videos showing female patients undergoing medical examinations and treatment at Payal Maternity Home & Surgical Hospital in Rajkot. The accused allegedly sold these illicit videos on Telegram and YouTube channels, charging substantial fees from subscribers.
The city’s cyber crime and crime branch teams on Tuesday conducted raids across multiple states, leading to the arrests of Praj Rajendra and Prajwal Teli (the main accused) from Sangli and Latur in Maharashtra, and Chandraprakash Phulchand from Uttar Pradesh.
Officials are also interrogating seven more individuals, indicating a wider network behind the operation.
According to investigators, the hospital’s CCTV IP system was hacked, granting unauthorised access to private footage. The leaked videos, which included sensitive medical procedures such as sonography, breast check-ups, childbirth, and CT scans, were circulated on platforms like YouTube and Telegram.
Authorities confirmed that one such video surfaced on YouTube on January 6, while a Telegram channel linked to the operation was created in September 2024. The illegal trade was reportedly run through a YouTube channel named “Megha MBBS” and a Telegram group called “Megha Demos Group.”
Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sharad Singhal said that a social media monitoring cell was activated once the videos went viral.
“After some time, we identified that these videos were from Rajkot. Rajkot Police assisted in the investigation. A technical analysis revealed that the YouTube and Telegram channels were operated from Maharashtra and Prayagraj,” he said.
Investigators found that the accused had been running the operation for over a year and had connections with hackers from Romania and Atlanta. These hackers had attempted to breach Payal Hospital’s CCTV system since December 2023 and reportedly succeeded in March last year.
Authorities are also analysing financial transactions, as the accused allegedly charged between Rs 800 and Rs 2,000 per video, generating significant revenue via UPI payments. “Huge amounts of money came through UPI,” Singhal added.
Cyber Crime ACP Hardik Mankadia confirmed that legal action has been initiated under Sections 66E and 67 of the Cyber Crime IT Act.
A senior official told Vibes of India that “statements from doctors and hospital staff have been recorded. Forensic examinations will be conducted once the accused and their devices are brought to Ahmedabad”.
At least six such videos have been found circulating on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), while a Telegram channel linked to the accused claims to possess over 90 similar videos. The group had 292 subscribers, as of February 18.
Senior police sources revealed that an organised network is exploiting CCTV footage from private hospitals to create and sell such videos, extending its operations across Gujarat and at least two other states. Videos from other hospitals, shops, and malls have also been discovered online.
The Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch is working with Rajkot Police to dismantle the distribution network and identify further individuals involved.
Meanwhile, the Congress women’s wing staged a protest at Payal Maternity Home, demanding the hospital’s closure. Protesters clashed with police after being denied permission to submit their demands to hospital authorities. Doctors and staff also engaged in a verbal dispute with the protesters, but police maintained that no one was permitted to enter the hospital.
Singhal further stated that Gujarat’s Home Minister, Health Minister, and Director General of Police (DGP) are expected to convene a meeting with hospital stakeholders to ensure patient privacy.
“The Health Ministry’s opinion has also been sought regarding the placement of CCTV cameras in sensitive hospital areas,” he added.
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