Kerala studio morphs wedding pictures of women for pornographic use

Thiruvananthapuram: Getting clicked at marriage ceremony is no longer safe for women in Kerala after a studio in Kozhikode district that specialised in wedding photography and other family functions allegedly morphed photographs of women, taken during weddings, and used them for pornographic purposes.

The complaint against Sadayam Shoot & Edit, a studio in Vadakara town in Kozhikode was reportedly made after several women spotted morphed images of them at weddings, circulating on social media.

The studio was sealed by police after they recovered several documents and the two owners of the studio - Dineshan and Satheeshan were arrested along with the co-owners.

A special investigation team was set up to probe the case, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.

In a reply in the Kerala Assembly, the Chief Minister also said that police was looking for Bibeesh, another person involved in the crime.

Kerala State Women's Commission had also initiated a case in the matter, directing the Superintendent of Police to form a special investigation team to probe the issue their supervision.

The news about the studio created a stir in the locality as the families who had hired these photographers were anxious after the morphing incident came to light.

The Kerala Chief Minister was replying to a submission by CK Nanu of JD-S on the need for a detailed probe into the complaints against the owner and staff of Sadayam studio.

CK Nanu pointed out that that the incident had serious implications and that people wanted the government to ensure the criminals were punished severely.

Meanwhile, sources say there are images of more than 40,000 women, clicked during functions like weddings and copied as well as stored in a hard disc from the studio.

Women's Cell circle inspector Bhanumathi, who is investigating the case, said the accused have undergone a preliminary interrogation and have confessed to the crime.