Chitrakoot (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 18 (ANI): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a junior engineer of Uttar Pradesh irrigation department for allegedly sexually assaulting several children, making a video of the act and selling it on the dark web, officials said on Tuesday.

According to the CBI, the arrested accused was identified as Chitrakoot-resident Ram Bhawan.

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A case was registered against the accused and other unidentified persons for their alleged involvement in the sexual abuse of children in the districts of Banda, Chitrakoot, and the surrounding areas in Uttar Pradesh.

"Apart from the physical abuse of children, the accused also allegedly recorded their acts using their mobile phones, laptops and other electronic devices. It was further alleged that these photographs and videos containing child sexual abuse material were published using the facility of the internet. It was also alleged that the accused used the dark web for sale, transmission and sharing of such CSAM content with other individuals," the CBI said in a statement.

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The probe agency also said that searches were conducted at the residence of the accused which led to the recovery of Rs 8 lakh cash, mobile phones, laptops, web-camera and other electronic storage devices including pen drives, memory cards and several sex toys.

"The accused allegedly used these electronic items and gadgets to lure children falling in the age group of 5-16 years. The scrutiny of the emails of the accused has revealed that he was allegedly in constant touch with several individuals (both Indian and foreign nationals) for the purpose of sharing child sexual abuse material," the statement said.

"The accused has allegedly created and shared a huge quantity of child sexually abusive material, over the years, through the internet using various social media platforms and websites over darknet, etc," it added.

After Bhawan's arrest from his office on Tuesday, irrigation department executive engineer Vipin Bihari Singh said, "I have received a letter from the CBI and in line with that, I have suspended the arrested official. He was arrested today." (ANI)

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