Manipur Police have arrested 13 people, including a minor, in a sweeping crackdown on Telegram networks allegedly used to circulate and monetise non-consensual explicit photographs and videos of women from the state. The operation has been code-named Operation Dignity.
According to police, multiple Telegram channels and groups were allegedly used to distribute the material, some of which reportedly included child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The case came to light after police received credible information about the alleged circulation, according to reports by NorthEast Now and ManipurArticles.
A racket built on violation
Police allege that the accused collected intimate images of Manipuri women and pushed them through Telegram channels, turning the circulation and monetisation of non-consensual content into a racket. The inclusion of CSAM — if confirmed by the investigation — would make this one of the most serious cybercrime cases registered in the state in recent years.
Investigators are expected to examine the digital trail to identify the operators behind the channels, the sources of the material and the money trail behind the alleged monetisation.
Police urge public to report, not forward
Bishnupur Superintendent of Police Ksh Ravikumar urged the public to report sexually explicit videos circulating on social media instead of forwarding them, speaking after the arrests made under Operation Dignity. Forwarding such material, the police have repeatedly warned, can itself attract criminal liability.
The appeal targets a dangerous pattern seen in such cases: victims are re-victimised each time their images are shared, while sharers unwittingly become part of the offence.
What happens next
The arrested persons are expected to be produced before the court, and police are likely to seek custody for interrogation and digital forensic examination. The investigation’s outcome will determine the charges, which in cases involving CSAM and non-consensual intimate imagery can include serious offences under the IT Act and the POCSO Act.
The operation sends a strong signal that online sexual exploitation will be pursued aggressively — and that silence and sharing both carry consequences.
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