Three individuals accused of a porn fetish scam that violated women’s privacy have been brought to Ahmedabad for further investigation on Thursday. The suspects including Prajval Taili from Latur, Praj Patil from Sangli in Maharashtra and Chandraprakash Phoolchand from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh face unprecedented cyber terrorism charges under Sections 61, 43(b) and 66 of the Information Technology (IT) Act. Authorities aim to build a strong case against them.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Lavina Sinha explained the severity of the charges, stating that the accused had spread fear among women. “Imagine women being afraid to visit hospitals, multiplexes, religious events or public spaces fearing their privacy might be compromised through filming or hacked CCTV networks. This clearly reinforces terror,” said Sinha.
Upon their arrival in Ahmedabad, the accused underwent a medical examination. Cybercrime officials have begun interrogating them to identify other potential suspects.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Hardik Makadiya confirmed that they would be presented in court on Friday.
“We are coordinating with cybercrime units in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. We are also tracking subscribers of their YouTube channel and Telegram group since paying for and watching such content is an offence. This case likely extends beyond national borders,” he added.
The investigation began after the Ahmedabad city crime unit filed a suo motu FIR on Wednesday, following the discovery of a YouTube channel and Telegram group sharing footage of a female patient’s examination at Payal Hospital in Rajkot. Initial findings revealed that the accused had hacked CCTV systems of hospitals, multiplexes, malls and other public places, including capturing footage of women attending the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj.
The case gained international traction when the IP addresses of the YouTube channel and Instagram group linked to the operation were traced to Georgia and Atlanta in the United States. However, investigators suspect the use of VPNs to conceal their actual locations.
Under Section 66F(2) of the IT Act, cyber terrorism that threatens national security or public safety can lead to life imprisonment. Section 61 penalises unauthorised access to computer systems with compensation, while Section 43(b) deals with data theft from storage media. Section 66 prescribes a maximum punishment of three years in detention or a fine of up to ₹5 lakh for unauthorised access to digital networks.
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