(Image source from: Newindianexpress.com)

Indian-Origin Bank Employee Jailed On Child Sex Charges In UK: After admitting to attempting to arrange or facilitate the commission of child sex abuse, an Indian-origin bank employee (38) has been sentenced to 15 months imprisonment in London.

A UK-based vigilante group called "Internet Interceptors" caught the accused identified as Balachandran Kavungalparambath, on camera. He was tracking the internet to catch adults grooming children online for sexual abuse.

In a hotel room in Birmingham, Kavungalparambath was caught. To meet one of the group’s activists posing as a 14-year-old girl during Whatsapp chats, the accused had arranged it in the hotel . He was the business manager of Citibank.

"I will have to leave the country. I am from India. I lose my job, I have to leave the country," Kavungalparambath is heard saying on the video when asked what would happen to him as punishment.

"I have heard about this. I heard about these groups. But as I said, I was supposed to have a chat with her it was not with the intention of getting her into a bed and having sex with her. That was not my intention," he is heard saying.

Last week, the Birmingham Crown Court told that the video was streamed live on Facebook. In the video, the London-based banker broke down in tears and claimed he just wanted to have lunch with the youngster.

Kavungalparambath is even a married father of one. However, this was the reverse in his own Whatsapp messages, which were read out to him.

"It's not right. I accept my mistake," he told members of the vigilante group on camera.

He is ordered to empty the contents of his rucksack, with perfume and condoms spilling onto a table in front of him, at one stage. Kavungalparambath has also been placed on the sex offender register for 10 years, besides his 15-month jail term handed down last week. To prevent any future re-offending, a 10-year sexual harm prevention order has also been handed over to him.

A spokesperson for Citibank said: "This individual is not a Citi employee any longer. The offences are abhorrent.”

SUPRAJA