CBI court jails UP ex-engineer 3 years for child pornography
Synopsis
A former Uttar Pradesh government engineer has been sentenced to three years in jail by a Special CBI Court in Lucknow for publishing and transmitting child sexual abuse material online — a case that crossed state lines from UP to Maharashtra and took over four years from registration to conviction.
Key Takeaways
Special CBI Court, Lucknow sentenced ex-JE Rambhawan to three years' rigorous imprisonment for CSAEM offences on 31 October 2026 .
Co-convict Nilesh Baliram Gore received one year's rigorous imprisonment with a fine.
CBI registered the case on 23 April 2022 ; chargesheet filed on 30 December 2022 ; charges framed on 21 July 2026 .
Digital devices were seized during searches in Bhusawal and Jalgaon, Maharashtra .
Separately, the CBI has registered an FIR over an alleged ₹10.24 crore fraud at a PNB branch in Greater Noida .
A Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Court in Lucknow sentenced Rambhawan, a former Junior Engineer (JE) of the Uttar Pradesh government's Irrigation Department, to three years' rigorous imprisonment in a child sexual abuse material case, officials confirmed on Monday, 2 November 2026. The judgment, delivered on 31 October, also imposed a fine on the convict.
Co-convict Nilesh Baliram Gore, a private individual, was sentenced to one year's rigorous imprisonment along with a fine, the CBI said in a statement.
What the Court Convicted Them Of
The Special CBI Court found both accused guilty of the collection, transmission, and publication of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitative Material (CSAEM) in electronic form — offences prosecuted under provisions governing digital publication of obscene content involving minors. Charges were formally framed on 21 July 2026, after which the trial proceeded to its conclusion.
How the CBI Built Its Case
The CBI registered the case on 23 April 2022, following allegations that both accused had used online platforms to collect, transmit, and publish CSAEM. Investigators conducted searches at Bhusawal and Jalgaon in Maharashtra, seizing and forensically examining digital devices. A chargesheet was filed against both accused on 30 December 2022, nearly eight months after the case was registered.
Notably, the investigation spanned two states — Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra — underscoring the cross-border nature of digital offences involving child exploitation material.
CBI's Stated Commitment on Child Safety
The agency reiterated in its statement that it accords high priority to cases involving child sexual abuse and exploitation, stating it remains 'committed to investigating and prosecuting offences involving child sexual abuse and exploitation... with due regard to the safety, rights and dignity of children.'
Separate PNB Fraud Case Registered
In an unrelated development, the CBI has also registered a First Information Report (FIR) in connection with an alleged fraud of ₹10.24 crore involving customer accounts at a Punjab National Bank (PNB) branch in Sector Pi, Greater Noida. According to the CBI, a female bank employee allegedly used the user IDs and passwords of other bank officials to carry out unauthorised transactions, transferring funds to accounts linked to her associates. The alleged irregularities reportedly went undetected for nearly three years. Investigations into this matter are ongoing.
The CSAEM conviction is among a series of CBI prosecutions in digital child exploitation cases and signals the agency's intent to pursue such offences — including those involving government employees — through to sentencing.
Point of View
Operating across state lines, undetected for years before the CBI stepped in. The four-year journey from FIR to sentencing raises questions about case-processing timelines in CSAEM prosecutions. The separate PNB fraud FIR, buried in the same statement, deserves its own scrutiny: a ₹10.24 crore internal fraud undetected for three years at a public-sector bank points to systemic lapses in access-control and transaction monitoring that go beyond one employee.
NationPress
2 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was sentenced by the CBI court in Lucknow for child pornography?
Rambhawan, a former Junior Engineer of the Uttar Pradesh government's Irrigation Department, was sentenced to three years' rigorous imprisonment. Co-convict Nilesh Baliram Gore, a private individual, was sentenced to one year's rigorous imprisonment.
What were the charges in the CBI child pornography case?
Both accused were convicted for the collection, transmission, and publication of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitative Material (CSAEM) in electronic form through online platforms. The CBI registered the case on 23 April 2022 and filed a chargesheet on 30 December 2022.
Where was the CBI investigation conducted?
While the case was tried at the Special CBI Court in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, searches were also conducted at Bhusawal and Jalgaon in Maharashtra, where digital devices were seized and forensically examined.
What is the separate PNB fraud case the CBI registered?
The CBI registered an FIR over an alleged fraud of ₹10.24 crore involving customer accounts at a Punjab National Bank branch in Sector Pi, Greater Noida. A female bank employee allegedly used colleagues' credentials to make unauthorised transfers, with the irregularities reportedly going undetected for nearly three years.
How long did the CBI CSAEM case take from registration to conviction?
The case took over four years — from registration on 23 April 2022 to conviction on 31 October 2026. Charges were framed as recently as 21 July 2026, with the trial concluding within months thereafter.
