How the Tip Led to an Arrest
Police said the case began with information shared by NCMEC regarding an account suspected of circulating illegal content, which was passed to Indian authorities through the NCRP system, the same cross-border reporting pipeline through which NCMEC routes CyberTipline reports to law enforcement in around 120 countries, including India. After analysing the linked mobile number and device identifiers, investigators traced the activity to Mohd. Noman, a resident of Jajmau, who was subsequently arrested.
During preliminary questioning, police allege Noman had been sourcing such material through messaging platforms for close to three years and monetising limited previews shared on social media. Two mobile phones were seized from the accused, and a forensic examination is now underway to determine whether he was connected to a wider distribution network. India’s Supreme Court clarified in September 2024 that the POCSO Act prohibits not just distribution but mere possession of such material, a ruling that gives investigators a clearer legal basis for prosecuting cases built on device-level evidence like the one seized here.
A Separate Forgery Case Under the Same Operation
In a distinct action carried out under Operation Vajra, police arrested Akhilesh Gupta, who ran a public service centre in Shastri Nagar, on allegations of preparing forged birth certificates purportedly issued in the name of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. Investigators say these documents were intended to facilitate alterations to official identity records, and recovered 27 forged certificates during the raid, while two alleged associates remain absconding.
Preliminary findings indicate the network allegedly produced forged birth, death, income and residence certificates that could be used to obtain or modify government-issued identity documents, including Aadhaar records, a pattern investigators have flagged repeatedly in similar cyber café and service-centre forgery cases uncovered across Uttar Pradesh in recent months.
Investigations Continue on Both Fronts
In both cases, police are examining seized computers, mobile phones, printers and digital records to identify additional suspects and beneficiaries, alongside financial transactions and communication data that could point to wider networks behind either operation. Officials said further arrests and legal action would follow depending on what the digital forensic review uncovers.
The CSAM case in particular underscores how India’s cybercrime enforcement increasingly depends on international cooperation, since NCMEC’s CyberTipline reports, sourced largely from platforms based outside India, remain one of the principal mechanisms through which such cases first come to the attention of Indian police. Officials continue to urge the public to report suspected child exploitation content immediately through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal or the 1930 helpline, rather than sharing or engaging with flagged content in any way.
