Jaipur, Oct 7 — The Cyber Crime Branch (R4C) of Rajasthan Police has issued a public-interest advisory warning citizens against searching for, viewing, creating, downloading or sharing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).
The advisory was issued on the instructions of Rajasthan Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar Sharma as part of efforts to strengthen cybercrime prevention and increase public awareness.
Additional Director General of Police, Cyber Crime, V.K. Singh said that CSAM, which depicts the sexual exploitation or abuse of children, is a serious and punishable offence under applicable laws, including the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Information Technology Act.
Singh said CSAM should not be treated as ordinary adult content.
He explained that it documents the sexual exploitation and abuse of children below the age of 18, whose consent has no legal validity in such circumstances.
He added that the online circulation of such material violates the rights, privacy and dignity of children and can contribute to their continued exploitation.
Singh cautioned that viewing, searching for or downloading CSAM can contribute to the demand for illegal material and create further opportunities for offenders to exploit children.
He said citizens should not become part of this cycle by accessing or circulating such content.
The Cyber Crime Branch also warned that digital activity can leave forensic traces even after a file has been deleted.
If such material is received unexpectedly or without solicitation, citizens have been advised not to forward it and instead report the matter immediately to the appropriate authorities.
Citizens who encounter suspected CSAM can report the matter to the nearest police station, cyber police station or through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
The Cyber Crime Branch has urged citizens to remain vigilant, avoid interacting with or circulating illegal material, and promptly report suspected child sexual exploitation to the authorities.