Man arrested in India after online grooming of a WA child

A man has been charged by Indian authorities this week after he allegedly sexually abused and intimidated a girl from WA on Instagram and Whatsapp, starting when she was 11-years-old.

In 2023, Detectives from Child Exploitation Operations (CEO) were notified of an incident involving an 11-year-old girl in 2020, who was the victim of online grooming, sextortion and other online offences from a person she met online. This abuse continued over several years and caused severe trauma to the girl.

Detectives from CEO commenced and investigation and were able to ascertain that the offender resided in India. Detectives provided the results of their investigation to the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

After further inquiries the matter was referred to Indian Authorities via Interpol. India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested and charged a man from Indore, Madhya Pradesh in relation to this investigation.

Indian Authorities charged the man in relation to criminal intimidation, transmitting of material depicting children in sexually explicit act, and sexual harassment upon a child with sexual intent.

The CBI used advanced geolocation techniques to track the man an execute a search warrant where they seized incriminating materials.

If you are a child or adult victim of abuse, or if you have information about someone being abused, please contact police on 131 444, or report the information via the Safe2Say online reporting platform, or contact the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation at www.accce.gov.au/reportonlinechildsexualexploitation

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