A 33-year-old Indian-origin psychiatrist from London has been jailed for six years for helping to run a dark web site dedicated to the sexual abuse of children.
Kabir Garg, who was sentenced on Friday at Woolwich Crown Court, will also be subject to a Serious Harm Prevention Order and is on the Sex Offenders Register for life, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.
Garg pleaded guilty in January this year to eight charges, including facilitating the sexual exploitation of children, three counts each of making and distributing indecent images of children, and possession of prohibited images.
Investigations identified Garg as one of the moderators of a site called ‘The Annex’, which had around 90,000 members worldwide and saw hundreds of links to child abuse material shared every day.
NCA officers arrested Garg at his flat in Lewisham in November 2022 as part of a coordinated operation with international partners, at a time when the site was open on his laptop with Garg logged into his moderator account.
The Annex, which is no longer active, was run like a company and had a team of around 30 administrators, who worked in shifts around the clock to ensure the smooth running of the site.
Members accessed The Annex using Tor, a dark web browser which is estimated to have 1.4 million global users. Forty per cent of the total searches facilitated by Tor are for child sexual abuse material, NCA investigations revealed.
Investigations showed that Garg was responsible for enforcing the rules of the site and removing members who did not comply.
He also provided advice on how to evade law enforcement, shared and encouraged other users to share links to child abuse material.
"He used the dark web to access a global community of paedophiles sharing and discussing horrific crimes against children. He then ensured he was such a trusted and respected member that he was invited to become a member of staff, involved in its daily management. This organisation and willingness to enable other offenders raises his criminality to a higher, more appalling level," Adam Priestley, from the National Crime Agency, said.
NCA officers recovered chat logs from his devices which showed posts, messages and files sent by Garg’s account. These clearly demonstrated his sexual interest in children and his role as a moderator.
Over 7,000 images and videos of child abuse were also recovered, along with messages which showed him applying for, and being promoted to, a site moderator rank with greater responsibility and access.
“There are hundreds of thousands of members of such sites on the dark web, but few of them are prepared to commit to being a member of staff, which involves dedicating a lot of time for no payment," Priestley said.
According to Priestley, as a doctor of psychiatry, Garg knew full well the devastating impact and trauma that abuse causes children, but this clearly did not deter him.
Garg also had a number of articles and journals on his laptop, which he had acquired as part of his job as a psychiatrist, that indicated he was well aware of the psychological impact of sexual abuse on children.
These had titles such as ‘Puberty and Adolescent Sexuality’, ‘A Study on Child Abuse India’, and ‘Effects and Aftermath of Rape’.
One more person planted in Raj Bhavan with sinister intent: Bengal Governor
In an audio message released on Friday, the Governor claimed that Raj Bhavan received a confidential report that political forces had planted one more person in the Raj Bhavan with sinister intent.
Rahul Gandhi files nomination from Raebareli
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday filed his nomination papers from the Raebareli Lok Sabha seat. Congress workers and Samajwadi Party workers turned out in full force to welcome Rahul to Raebareli.
'Daro mat, bhaago mat': PM Modi's stinging jibe at 'Shehzada', top Congress leadership
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday mocked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, hours after he was fielded from Raebareli Lok Sabha constituency, the seat vacated by former Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
Trinamool govt wants to make Hindus second-class citizens in Bengal: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday claimed that the Trinamool Congress-ruled West Bengal government wants to make the Hindus second-class citizens in the state.
Will bring back politics of 'sewa' in Amethi: Priyanka
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said on Friday that the grand old party would bring back the politics of "sewa" to Amethi, where the party has fielded Kishori Lal Sharma.
Helicopter crashes en route to pick up Shiv Sena leader in Maha's Raigad
In a shocker, a private helicopter which was flying to pick up Shiv Sena Deputy Leader Sushma Andhare, suddenly crashed on landing, officials said here on Friday.
LS polls: Rahul Gandhi to contest from Raebareli, K.L. Sharma in Amethi
Ending days of suspense, the Congress has finally announced that Rahul Gandhi will contest from the Raebareli Lok Sabha constituency, the seat held earlier by his mother Sonia Gandhi.
Govt soon to launch Kidney transplant procedures at GB Pant Hospital: CM
Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha announced on Thursday that the state will soon commence kidney transplant procedures at the GB Pant Hospital and informed that the government is considering the establishment of an iron removal plant for water within the hospital premises.