Published Jul 23, 2026 | 7:33 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 23, 2026 | 7:33 PM
Abel Augustine, accused in the case related to the circulation of morphed images of female MBBS students at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.
Synopsis: Police investigating the circulation of morphed images of female MBBS students at Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College said they will register additional cases based on the statements of the victims. The investigators will also subject the social media accounts of the accused to forensic examination.
The police probing the alleged morphing and circulation of obscene images of female MBBS students at the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College are preparing to register separate FIRs based on fresh complaints from victims, following protests over the handling of the case.
The statements of all complainants will be recorded, and additional cases will be registered wherever required, police said.
The move comes after nearly 100 MBBS students staged a protest outside the Medical College Police Station on Wednesday night, alleging that the accused secured bail because of delays in the investigation and the invocation of weaker charges.
Student representatives also demanded separate FIRs for each victim, claiming that images of around 13 female students had been morphed and circulated.
Police said the investigation has revealed that the number of victims is much higher than initially believed, with more than 20 female students suspected to have been targeted.
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Fresh details emerged after the accused, Abel Augustine, a third-year MBBS student, was questioned again by City Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) K.S. Sahanshah on the basis of statements recorded from seven students of the medical college.
Investigators will now subject Abel’s social media accounts to forensic examination by cyber experts to trace the extent of the circulation.
Police are also keeping some of his associates under surveillance as part of the ongoing probe.
According to the investigation, the accused allegedly downloaded photographs of female classmates from their Instagram stories without their consent, morphed them into obscene images, added offensive captions and circulated them through social media.
DCP K.S. Sahanshah rejected allegations of lapses in the investigation, stating that the remand report had included all applicable provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act.
He said the court granted bail in accordance with legal provisions governing offences punishable with less than seven years’ imprisonment, while noting that the accused had nevertheless been arrested and produced before the court.
He added that the police would invoke more serious provisions if warranted as the investigation progresses.
Abel Augustine, a native of Kakkavayal in Wayanad and a third-year MBBS student at the Government Medical College, has also been suspended by the college.
The principal’s order stated that the suspension was issued after the student was taken into police custody and a criminal case was registered against him.
The investigation is expected to gather pace as police record statements from all complainants and examine digital evidence to determine the full scale of the alleged exploitation.
(Edited by Fayisa CA)
