CBI busts child sexual exploitation racket

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has brought down global cybercrime syndicates as part of its recently initiated Operation Hawk-2025. The operation, based on key intelligence provided by the United States, targeted Indian persons engaged in online child sexual exploitation with foreign connections.

Two main persons have been arrested after detailed investigations.

Mangalore-based Sheikh Muizz Ahmed was booked under several sections of the IPC, IT Act, and POCSO Act. Ahmed, it is alleged by the CBI, used the social media platform Discord under the handle “heisenberg7343” to have explicit chats with a minor girl from the USA. He is suspected to have pressurised her into sending CSAM images and videos and also intimidated her into continuing such exploitative chat. During a raid at his offices in Mumbai and Mangalore, digital items with CSAM were recovered.

In a parallel case, Mukul Saini from Delhi was also apprehended. He allegedly operated on Discord using several IDs, including “Izumi#9412” and “Arisu”, and is accused of engaging in similar acts with a minor girl from the USA.