2 min readBengaluruJun 30, 2026 01:56 PM IST
A Bengaluru police sub-inspector (PSI) was arrested on Monday after police booked him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act for allegedly sexually abusing minor boys under the guise of an interrogation.
The accused officer, identified as PSI Praveen, has been suspended, along with a police constable who allegedly assisted him.
According to police sources, the incident took place about a year ago when Praveen detained the minor boys in connection with an investigation. Instead of following standard legal protocols for questioning the minors, he allegedly took them to a lodge, assaulted them, and forced them to perform obscene acts, which he then recorded on his mobile phone.
The matter came to light recently after videos of the alleged abuse surfaced and went viral on social media platforms.
Taking cognisance of the video clips, the police registered a suo motu case under relevant sections of the Pocso Act and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. The investigation was subsequently transferred to the Kothanur police station.
“The accused PSI was arrested and will be produced before the court. Police Constable Raghavendra, who allegedly assisted the PSI, has also been suspended,” a senior police officer said, adding that the investigation is ongoing.
Domestic dispute behind video leak
Preliminary inquiries indicate that the videos were allegedly copied from the accused officer’s mobile phone during a domestic dispute before being leaked online. However, senior officials said investigators are still examining the source of the leak and how the videos surfaced on social media.
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The police have seized Praveen’s mobile phone and sent it for forensic examination to determine the number of videos stored on the device, verify whether any digital evidence was deleted, and examine whether any objectionable content was shared with others.