The Central Bureau of Investigation conducted raids at 56 locations across 19 states and one Union Territory on Saturday in connection with two cases of circulation of child sexual abuse material online, reported PTI.

The central agency carried out searches in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka, and Telangana among others, reported The Hindu.

The operation, code-named Meghchakra, is aimed at identifying and apprehending gangs involved in distributing child pornography through social media platforms and those blackmailing minors, reported NDTV.

The searches were carried out after the Central Bureau of Investigation had received inputs from the Interpol’s Singapore unit based on the information shared by the authorities in New Zealand.

Saturday’s operation is a follow-up to similar raids conducted by the central agency in November 2021 in 13 states and one Union Territory. As part of Operation Carbon, the authorities registered nearly 24 cases involving more than 80 persons.

Operation Meghchakra was initiated after the Supreme Court on September 19 directed the Centre to submit a status report on distribution of child pornography and sexual exploitation videos on social media.