Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone announced on December 22, 2025, that twelve arrests of alleged child predators were made in “Operation Bad Santa,” a multi-agency undercover operation targeting people who allegedly were using social media and various online messaging applications in an attempt to lure underage children for sexual activity.
Operation Bad Santa was led by the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, and assisted by numerous other agencies. They arrested 12 men without incident and charged them over the course of six days, December 8, 2025, through December 12, 2025, and December 15, 2025, a press release from Middlesex County said.
In the sting operation, the underage “children” that the perpetrators were speaking with were, in fact, undercover officers. The defendants were arrested when they arrived at an undercover residence, where they expected to find the child. Instead, they were met with several law enforcement officers prepared to arrest them. Two of the defendants engaged in online child exploitation and were arrested upon their identification.
The Indian-origin names on the list of 12 men includes:
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Hareshkumar “Harry” Vala, 44, of Dunellen, was charged with one count of second-degree Luring and one count of third-degree Criminal Attempt – Endangering Sexual Conduct with a Child.
Vedant Khandelwal, 38, of Bridgewater, was charged with one count of second-degree Luring and one count of third-degree Criminal Attempt – Endangering Sexual Conduct with a Child.
Akash Shah, 23, of East Brunswick, was charged with one count of second-degree Luring, one count of third-degree Distributing Obscene Material to a Minor and one count of third-degree Endangering Sexual Conduct with a Child.
As is the case with all criminal defendants, the charges against the accused, “are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty,” the Prosecutor’s office said in the press release.
The investigation is active and continuing, the press release said. Anyone with information is asked to call the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-3300.