CBI busts Whatsapp-based global child porn racket
New Delhi: The CBI on Thursday registered a case and booked five persons on charges of uploading and circulating child pornography through a Whatsapp group that had 119 members from both India and abroad.
Calling the activity a "global crime," the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) busted the racket on the basis of intelligence inputs.
The members of the group -- KidsXXX -- included members of foreign countries like the US, China, Pakistan and Brazil, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Nigeria, Mexico and New Zealand, besides India.
Administrators of the Whatsapp group were identified as Nikhil Verma, Satyendra Chauhan, Nafees Raja, Zahid, and Adarsh. A case has been filed against them under Section 67-B of the Information Technology Act and the provisions of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).
One of the administrators, 20-year-old unemployed B.Com graduate Nikhil Verma has been arrested from his hometown Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh, CBI spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said.
The Whatsapp child pornography group had been active for about two years.
The central agency is planning to write to the investigators of the foreign countries concerned, whose members are part of the Whatsapp group.
The CBI official said they are investigating all angles in this case including a well-organized racket shooting children's sexual abuse videos and selling them in the virtual world.
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Regulator DGCA eases flight duty norms for pilots amid IndiGo crisis
Mumbai (PTI): Aviation watchdog DGCA on Friday eased the flight duty norms by allowing substitution of leaves with a weekly rest period amid massive operational disruptions at IndiGo, according to sources.
As per the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms, "no leave shall be substituted for weekly rest", which means that weekly rest period and leaves are to be treated separately. The clause was part of efforts to address fatigue issues among the pilots.
Citing IndiGo flight disruptions, sources told PTI that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has decided to withdraw the provision 'no leave shall be substituted for weekly rest' from the FDTL norms.
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"In view of the ongoing operational disruptions and representations received from various airlines regarding the need to ensure continuity and stability of operations, it has been considered necessary to review the said provision," DGCA said in a communication dated December 5.
The gaps in planning ahead of the implementation of the revised FDTL, the second phase of which came into force from November 1, have resulted in crew shortage at IndiGo and is one of the key reasons for the current disruptions.
#BREAKING: #DGCA relaxes a clause which debarred airlines to club leaves with weekly rest to mitigate #IndiGo crisis
— Economic Times (@EconomicTimes) December 5, 2025
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