KOZHIKODE: Despite mounting protests over the alleged morphing of women’s photographs by studio staff in Vadakara for pornographic purpose, the investigation team remains clueless about the whereabouts of the prime accused.
According to Vadakara DySP T P Premraj, Rural Police chief M K Pushkaran has issued a lookout notice at transit points, including airports, for the absconding accused identified as Babeesh and the search has been intensified.
“Studio owners Satheesh and Dinesh, who are the second and third accused, respectively, have confessed to the crime in a preliminary interrogation. As per their statements, the prime accused Babeesh was the mastermind of the operation and the studio owners were not involved directly in the morphing activity. However, Babeesh got all support from the duo,” said Premraj. He said the intention behind the morphing was yet to be ascertained. “The motive could be known only after interrogating the prime accused,” he said.
Meanwhile, an action committee held a protest march to Vadakara police station demanding the immediate arrest of the absconding accused. Hundreds of women took part in the march, which was taken out from Paremmel.
Social activist V P Suhara inaugurated the march, while action committee convener K Balakrishanan, E P Damodaran, activists P Vasantham, K K Rema attended the event.
Last week, the police had registered a case against the staff of Sadayam studio for allegedly morhping photographs of women for pornographic purpose. It was suspected that thousands of photos taken during wedding functions in and around Vadakara.
The incident come to light when the relative of a woman noticed her morphed photograph on social media, prompting the victim to lodge a police complaint.
Soon, many women came forward to lodge complaints against the studio employee for misusing their photos.