Cops arrest man in Maharashtra for circulating child sexual abuse material

Mumbai: Police arrested a man allegedly involved in the sale and circulation of child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSEAM) through the messaging platform Telegram while operating from Maharashtra.

According to an official statement issued by the Additional Director General of Police, Maharashtra State Cyber Department, the action was initiated after the agency received intelligence inputs about a suspected Telegram-based seller involved in circulating exploitative content online.

The official said it carried out technical verification, field investigation and open-source intelligence (OSINT) analysis to trace the suspect. During the probe, investigators analysed a UPI ID linked to the alleged activities and tracked the accused's whereabouts.

The suspect, identified as Adiraj Rajendra Bait, was subsequently brought in for questioning. Officials said his mobile phone was seized for forensic examination, during which investigators allegedly found child sexual exploitative material stored on the device for the purpose of sale and further circulation.

Following the findings, Maharashtra Cyber registered a criminal offence and transferred custody of the accused, along with the FIR and seized mobile phone, to the NRI Police Station in Navi Mumbai.