Bhubaneswar: Bharatpur police on Monday arrested a former professor of a private university for allegedly circulating morphed photographs of a veterinary student of the institute on social media. Police said the 33-year-old accused originally hails from Hooghly in West Bengal and is currently residing in Bhubaneswar.
Police said the case was registered against the man on June 9 following a complaint lodged by the student, who is in her 20s. “The accused had lured her to Kolkata in Feb 2024 and misbehaved with her. Acting on her complaint, the university dismissed him in April 2024. However, he continued to harass her and later circulated morphed images on social media with the intent to defame her, blaming his dismissal to her complaint,” said an officer of Bharatpur police station.
Background of the Case
The victim, a veterinary student at the private university, filed a complaint on June 9, 2024, alleging that the accused had been harassing her since February 2024. She stated that he lured her to Kolkata under false pretenses and misbehaved with her. Following her complaint, the university terminated his employment in April 2024. Despite his dismissal, the accused continued to harass the student, eventually circulating doctored images on social media platforms to tarnish her reputation.
Investigation and Arrest
Bharatpur police launched an investigation after the complaint was registered. The accused was traced and taken into custody on Monday. He has been charged under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act for cybercrime and harassment. Police are further investigating his online activities to determine if other victims exist.
The arrest has brought some relief to the student, who had been facing severe mental stress due to the harassment. Authorities have assured strict action against the accused and have urged other victims of similar crimes to come forward.
