Cracking Down on Social Media Crimes: Arrests in Obscene Video Circulation

In Maharashtra's Ahilyanagar, police apprehended two individuals alleged to have distributed obscene videos featuring victims of self-styled godman Ashok Kharat, a senior official reported Thursday.

Kharat, detained on March 18 due to persistent rape allegations, is mired in investigations that unveiled his exploitation network spanning several years. Disturbingly, explicit videos emerged on numerous social media platforms, prompting rapid action by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).

Identified as Rahul Gangadhar Shinde and Yogesh Pandharinath Aadhav, the arrested suspects face charges under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act, while police continue efforts to capture an accomplice. SPI Somnath Ghughe affirmed decisive legal measures against those propagating such content, including social media group administrators. Meanwhile, SIT head IPS officer Tejaswini Satpute urged restraint in sharing distressing footage, noting at least six ongoing cases tied to Kharat involving severe offenses such as rape, human sacrifice, and black magic.

(With inputs from agencies.)