Panaji: The crime branch of the Goa police on Thursday arrested a man from Uttar Pradesh in connection with a viral social media video allegedly showing unidentified men soliciting a woman near the popular Tito’s Lane at Baga, North Goa.Taking suo motu cognisance of the clips circulating online, the crime branch went on to register an FIR for unwelcome physical advances involving explicit sexual overtures, demanding sexual favours, and content containing sexually explicit material.The social media monitoring cell, Panaji, found the videos on a YouTube channel and on a Facebook account of a UP native. The PRISM unit then carried out technical analysis to trace the accused, crime branch superintendent of police (SP), Rahul Gupta, said.A team led by the SP proceeded to Lucknow and arrested 48-year-old Saurabh Sahni in the case, Gupta said. During interrogation, Sahni allegedly admitted to soliciting the woman for prostitution and recording the video on Sep 19, 2024, near the end of Tito’s Lane, Baga, Gupta said.The police said Sahni saved the video on a hard disk and uploaded it to his YouTube channel on April 12, 2026, to boost subscribers. After it drew few views, he uploaded the same clip on his personal Facebook account, Gupta said.Sahni also told the police he did not blur or conceal the survivor’s face before posting it online.The crime branch traced the woman in the video, a foreign national, and recorded her statement. Investigation is ongoing to identify and trace other co-accused seen in the clip, Gupta said.
