The Karnataka government has handed over the investigation into the alleged voyeurism incident at a paramedical college in Udupi to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Director-General and Inspector-General of Police Alok Mohan issued an order to his effect on Monday.
“As this alleged recording of video in the washroom of the private college is a sensitive one, it has been handed over to CID for further investigation,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna told reporters in Udupi that the case has been handed over to the CID in a hurry to wound up the case and favour the accused. The latest decision has been taken a few days after recording the voluntary statements of the victim and three accused students before the magistrate, he said.
He said that the Udupi police have found alleged links of a parent of the accused girl with the banned Popular Front of India and it has also gathered important evidence related to the case. “When the Udupi police were in the final stages of investigation, the case has been transferred to the CID,” he said.
Three second-year paramedical diploma students of the Netra Jyothi Institute of Allied Health Sciences were accused of capturing a video of one of their classmate in the college washroom on July 18. The victim confronted the three students, who reportedly deleted the video. After the victim brought this to the notice of the college principal, the latter seized the mobile phones of the three students and also placed them under suspension.
Following a press meet by the college in Udupi on July 25 wherein the college mentioned the action taken by the management, the Udupi’s Malpe police registered a suo motu case against three students and also the college management for offences under Sections 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman.), 204 (destruction of document or electronic record) and 175 (omission to produce document or electronic record to public servant) of Indian Penal Code.
Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kundapur division K.U. Belliyappa was made the investigation officer of the case.
Protests were held by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, and the Vishwa Hindu Parisad condemning the delayed action of the Udupi police in registering the case and also against Home Minister G. Parameshwara’s reported statement calling the incident as a child play. They sought investigation by a special investigation team or by the National Investigation Agency.
Meanwhile, member of the National Commission for Women and actor Khushboo Sundar visited the college and dismissed as rumours the reports about placement of hidden camera in the washroom and about circulation of the washroom video on social media.
During his visit to Udupi and Mangaluru on August 1, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he will allow the DySP to freely investigate the case and it was too premature to think of changing the investigation agency.
