Student from Alappuzha arrested in Ernakulam college morphing case

The police probing the alleged morphing and circulation of photographs of teachers of a college in Ernakulam on Monday (September 7) arrested one more student. Sanesh, 20, a native of Korattiyad in Alappuzha and a BCom student at IHRD College, Mavelikkara, was arrested on Monday after being summoned for questioning by the special investigation team.

Police sources said the youth was part of a Telegram group that included Sreehari V.S., a second-year BBA student of the Ernakulam college, who was arrested earlier in the case. The fresh arrest comes even as a court has granted the police three days’ custody of Sreehari, who was earlier remanded in judicial custody.

Investigators suspect that Sanesh was involved in the creation and circulation of the obscene images. Digital evidence, including chats in the groups, is being examined to analyse the gravity of the alleged crime, according to sources.

The accused have been booked under Section 67A of the Information Technology Act, which deals with transmission of material containing sexually explicit acts in electronic form; Section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which handles offences meant to insult a woman’s modesty or intrude upon her privacy; and Section 119(1)(b) of the Kerala Police Act (recording or sharing photos and videos that harm a woman’s privacy), according to police sources.

The police registered the case following a complaint by the college management. The incident came to light after a former student alerted a teacher about the morphed pictures that were allegedly circulated online.