Udupi washroom video case: CID team steps up probe

PTI, Aug 10, 2023, 3:03 PM IST

The CID team investigating the washroom video case at an Udupi paramedical college has intensified its probe, taking the statements of the victim and representatives of the college management.

Three girl students are alleged to have filmed a girl in the college washroom using a mobile camera last month. Though the girl did not file a formal complaint, police took a suo motu case and conducted an investigation, which was recently handed over to the CID.

CID officials, led by SP Raghavendra and DySP Anjumala Nayak, also took the statements of the accused students. The team is also set to recreate the scene at the spot of the alleged incident, police sources said.

The Bengaluru mobile forensic science laboratory also joined the investigation carrying out on-the-spot verification by expert personnel. Fingerprints were collected from the scene of the incident.

The CID team also collected evidence from the staff members of the college and reviewed CCTV footage from cameras in the vicinity, provided by the district police which conducted the investigation earlier.

The mobile phones of the three accused students have been sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Hyderabad. The absence of the primary video evidence has led to the lack of clarity surrounding the controversy, sources said.

Meanwhile, CID ADGP Manish Karbikar arrived in Udupi and held discussions with Udupi district Superintendent of Police Hakay Akshay Machhindra and CID SP Raghavendra Hegde. Later in a statement, Karbikar said he had discussed the case with police and CID officials on the further course of the probe. CID DySP Anjumala has been appointed as the investigating officer and the probe will be supervised by CID SP Raghavendra Hegde, he said.

The report of the forensic science laboratory will be handed over to the investigating officer. After the investigation, the report will be submitted to the court. The CID team has also obtained three mobile FSL reports as part of the investigation, he said.