Police have arrested three people for allegedly recording videos of women bathing at the Maha Kumbh festival and selling them on the dark web. Two suspects were arrested in Latur, Maharashtra, while the third was taken into custody in Uttar Pradesh. Investigations have revealed connections to international hackers; one suspect from Gujarat, named Pranav Teli, was reportedly communicating with hackers in Romania and Atlanta. Teli and an accomplice from Sangli are accused of filming women in malls and hospitals in Maha Kumbh and Prayagraj, as well as in Gujarat and Maharashtra, and selling those videos online.
The suspects set up multiple Telegram accounts and charged membership fees ranging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000 for access to the videos. Some clips, which showed women partially covered with towels or changing clothes, were used to entice users to purchase more explicit content. It is alleged that their illegal earnings were sent from foreign accounts to bank accounts in Latur. Controversial videos are also being shared on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram.
Authorities have filed two FIRs in Gujarat and Prayagraj, with reports indicating a total of 13 FIRs registered. The police cybercrime unit is actively monitoring social media and taking strict action against those sharing inappropriate content or spreading rumours.
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Police have indicated that both buyers and sellers of the bathing videos will be arrested, and so far, they have identified 103 social media accounts for potential further action.