Sensitive medical examination videos of women patients from Payal Maternity Hospital in Gujarat were leaked and sold online. The authorities arrested three individuals — Prajwal Ashok Taili, Praj Rajendra Patil, and Chandraprakash Fulchand — allegedly involved in distributing and monetising these videos.
According to The420, the scandal came to light when seven videos from Payal Maternity Hospital surfaced on the YouTube channel ‘Megha MBBS, Andamen Production.’ Investigators found that access to additional footage was sold through a linked Telegram channel, with subscription fees ranging from Rs 999 to Rs 1,500.
Prajwal created the YouTube and Telegram channel ‘Megha Demos’, Praj Rajendra managed the Telegram group’s mobile number. He handled financial transactions, and Chandraprakash created another YouTube channel, CP MONDA, where some of the videos were updated.
To attract subscribers, the channel’s thumbnail featured images of women from the Maha Kumbh event, a deceptive tactic designed to increase engagement. Authorities revealed that the footage, captured via CCTV cameras, showed women undergoing medical examinations or receiving injections from nurses in a closed room.
The Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch launched an extensive probe into the matter. Their investigation traced the origins of the Telegram group to September 2023, while the associated YouTube channel was created in January 2024. The Telegram group that distributed the videos had over 90 members before being flagged.
In response to the scandal, Payal Maternity Hospital denied any wrongdoing, claiming that the CCTVs may have been hacked. However, the hospital administration should explain why the CCTVs were present in areas where the medical examinations were being done.
Authorities have registered the case under Section 66 (E), Section 66F(2), and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act. They have advised institutions with CCTV systems to avoid sharing passwords with anyone and to change the default company password to a strong, unique one.
In the News: India advises OTTs to strictly deploy age-based classification
