"The accused were live-streaming sexual content"
Police in Mumbai have arrested three people, including two women, for their alleged involvement in broadcasting live porn shows through a mobile app.
Versova Police said they received credible information about an app called the Pihu Official App.
Available on the App Store and Google Play Store, police said its users were being charged between Rs. 1,000 (£9) and Rs. 10,000 (£97) to watch explicit videos.
After verifying the information and obtaining permission from a senior official, officers raided a flat located in Four Bungalow early on November 5, 2023.
Three people inside the flat were arrested for their alleged involvement in the operation of the app.
They were identified as Tanisha Rajesh Kanojia, Rudra Narayan Raut and Tamanna Arif Khan.
The trio were charged under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Information Technology Act for indulging in obscene acts, selling obscene material to youngsters and indulging in obscenity using computer devices.
Senior Police Inspector Ganesh Pawar said:
“The accused were live-streaming sexual content on the Pihu official application and attracting viewers to subscribe for Rs 1,000 to Rs 7,000 (£67).
“It was found that all three accused appeared in the live videos.
“They also planned to telecast a significant sexual show on the application this month.
“We are currently searching for the owner and operator of the Pihu app.”
The app allows users to subscribe and pay to see exclusive images.
Users can also request video calls, picking a date of their choosing. The duration of the call can also be chosen, with a longer duration costing more.
According to the App Store, Pihu is referred to as a woman and the description reads:
“The ‘Pihu official App’ gives all her fans across the globe premium access into her personal and professional life.
“We ensure each fan can interact with her directly and is accessible to the app.”
“Users can watch her exclusive and HD quality content which gets updated every Friday.
“They can join Pihu Live stream and can send her virtual gifts. Users can message her directly. And the best part of the app is One to One video call where users can book personalised video calls with “Pihu” and this is the best feature of the app.”
In a similar instance in 2019, several Indian spa centres were raided after it was discovered that prostitution and sex rackets were being operated from them.
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