KOCHI: Kochi City police have arrested another college student in connection with the alleged creation and circulation of obscene videos by morphing photographs and videos of teachers and female students.
Sanesh, 20, a native of Korattiyad in Alappuzha and a BCom student at IHRD College, Mavelikara, was arrested on Monday. He had been summoned for questioning by the special investigation team and was arrested after the preliminary interrogation, police said.
Police seized his mobile phones and laptop, which are being examined with the assistance of cyber experts. Investigators said Sanesh was part of a five-member group that included Sreehari, a student of Bharata Mata College, Thrikkakara, who was arrested earlier in the case.
According to police, Sanesh allegedly helped circulate obscene videos created by members of the group to other social-media groups and was involved in financial transactions linked to the activity. He was also an administrator of some of the groups, police said.
Investigators suspect Sanesh was involved in creating the obscene videos too. Several photographs, videos and chats had allegedly been deleted from his phone, but police have managed to recover some of it. The recovered material is being examined to identify the people featured in the photographs and videos and ascertain where the original images were taken. Investigators are also analysing chats and other digital evidence to establish the sequence of events and the extent of the alleged activity.
Meanwhile, a court has granted the police a three-day custody of Sreehari, who was earlier remanded in judicial custody.
Senior police officers said efforts were under way to trace more people linked to the activity. The investigation is also examining whether the accused were part of a wider network operating across Kerala, including its modus operandi and financial transactions.