Ahmedabad, Feb 19 (IANS) The Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch has arrested two individuals from Maharashtra for allegedly hacking and distributing CCTV footage of women undergoing medical check-ups at a hospital in Rajkot. The accused reportedly shared the footage via a Telegram channel.
Investigators revealed that the breach was carried out using the hospital’s IP address. The arrested individuals will soon be brought to Gujarat for further questioning.
Officials said that the suspects were arrested from different districts in Maharashtra. They had previously been involved in distributing explicit videos through similar means. The ongoing investigation aims to identify others linked to the cybercrime operation. The probe was initiated after videos of women undergoing gynaecological treatments surfaced on Telegram and a YouTube channel named MeghaMbbs -m5j.
The content was traced back to Payal Maternity Home in Rajkot, a hospital established in 1998 that has reportedly conducted over 37,000 deliveries and 21,000 surgeries.
So far, at least six such videos have been found circulating on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). A Telegram channel linked to the accused claims to possess over 90 similar videos. Investigators from the Ahmedabad Cyber Cell are working alongside Rajkot police to track the origins of the footage and dismantle the distribution network.
The Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch is investigating a suspected nationwide racket involved in uploading videos of maternity patients’ medical examinations and treatments on YouTube and Telegram for profit.
The illegal distribution of CCTV footage was traced back to Payal Maternity Home & Surgical Hospital in Rajkot. Following a formal complaint, a team from Ahmedabad Cyber Crime raided the hospital, recording statements from doctors and staff. Sources indicate that the illicit trade of viral childbirth videos extends across multiple states.
Preliminary investigations suggest that organised gangs operating in at least three states, including Gujarat, are behind the scandal. Authorities are now working to identify key players in the network and dismantle their operations.
–IANS
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