Hardoi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 19 (ANI): The Cyber Police Station in Hardoi has busted a massive online pornography network operated via social media platforms, involving thousands of minors and transactions worth crores, an official said here in Tursday.

The accused, identified as Vikas Singh, a 2019 B.Tech graduate, has been arrested.

Speaking to ANI, Hardoi City Circle Officer (CO) Ankit Mishra stated that the breakthrough came following a tip-off received by the Cyber Police Station on May 17 regarding the dissemination of objectionable content targeting minors.

'On May 17, the Cyber Police Station received information regarding an individual in the Hardoi district, identified as Vikas Singh, who was disseminating objectionable content among minors. The police registered a case under relevant sections, and teams were deployed to arrest the accused,' CO Mishra said.

During subsequent interrogation, the scale of the illicit operation came to light. The accused had leveraged popular messaging and social media platforms to cast a wide net.

'Upon interrogation, it was revealed that Vikas had created numerous groups and channels on Telegram and Instagram, totalling approximately 21, through which he provided objectionable photos and videos to his users. These included videos infringing upon individuals' private spaces,' the Circle Officer added.

According to the police, the network had a massive reach, with a highly vulnerable user base. Investigators discovered a massive repository of explicit data stored across the channels.

'Approximately 7,000 users were connected to his various groups, the majority of whom were minors. In total, content comprising 10,000 videos and 40,000 obscene photographs was discovered across his groups,' CO Mishra.

The financial investigation into the operation revealed substantial illicit earnings accumulated over the years.

'The police also investigated his bank accounts, revealing a balance of approximately Rs 1.20 crore. Vikas is a 2019 B.Tech graduate and has been involved in such illicit activities since 2020,' the official said.

Detailing the modus operandi, the police revealed that the accused ran the network like a commercial subscription service, offering tiered payment plans to his users.

'He offered his users monthly plans for approximately Rs 350, quarterly plans for Rs 450, and half-yearly plans for Rs 600. He primarily sourced this content by downloading it from the internet,' CO Mishra said.

Further investigations into the matter are currently underway. (ANI)