70 Victims And Counting: How Indian Student In UK Used Social Media To Groom Girls

In a recent sentencing, a 27-year-old Indian student, Bilal Kazi, was handed a 30-year prison term for orchestrating the sexual abuse of numerous young girls across the UK. Kazi, described by authorities as a "serial online groomer," exploited and coerced the victims, all aged between 10 and 17, into performing sexual acts via social media and gaming platforms.

Specialist Prosecutor Martin McRobb of the UK's Crown Prosecution Service emphasized Kazi's ruthless approach, highlighting his method of befriending the girls online and blackmailing them to comply with his demands. The victims, some of whom were just 11 years old, were tricked into believing they were in a genuine relationship with Kazi, a white British teenager who used photos of an unidentified male.

Cheshire Police's Online Child Abuse Investigation Team revealed that Kazi had targeted 70 victims across 28 of the UK's 45 police forces. Detective Constable Georgia Hughes stressed the mammoth scale of the investigation, which required significant resources and close collaboration among forces. The abuse had a profound and lasting impact on the victims, with many experiencing constant fear and trauma long after the initial exploitation.

The investigation, initially prompted by the first victim's report in November 2021, led to the identification of 70 victims. Kazi was arrested in July 2023 upon his return to the UK and was subsequently interviewed, leading to his conviction. The police emphasized their commitment to protecting vulnerable individuals and warned against those who misuse the anonymity of the internet for criminal activities.