The student who created AI-generated nude images of female students in the class, and the principal who intervened

Nikaveratiya Magistrate Chandana Liyanage officially read out and handed over the charge sheet in court against a minor school student, who was arrested in connection with an incident where he allegedly misused Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to convert photographs of three female school students of the same age into nude photographs, and against the principal who is said to have aided and abetted the crime by concealing it. Three girls, aged 14 and 15, studying at a well-known school in the Nikaveratiya area, have faced this unfortunate incident.

It was revealed in court that the school student, who is the main suspect in this incident, had obtained natural photographs of the girls, distorted them into nude photographs using Artificial Intelligence technology, and stored them on his smartphone. The principal, named as the second suspect, had taken possession of the student's mobile phone and had illegally kept it in his possession for over a month, claiming to have settled the incident without informing the police.

The suspect student and the principal informed the court through their lawyers that they were innocent of the charges leveled against them. These two suspects, who were previously presented to the court by the Nikaveratiya Divisional Criminal Investigation Unit, have now been released on personal bail of Rs. 1 million each, as per the Magistrate's order. The court also stipulated that the sureties must be the closest relatives of the suspects. After reading out the charges, the Magistrate decided to take up the case for hearing on May 14th and ordered the witnesses to appear before the court on that day.

The Nikaveratiya Divisional Criminal Investigation Unit has filed cases against the suspects under Sections 286, 351, and 346 of the Sri Lanka Penal Code. These arrests were made following preliminary investigations conducted based on a complaint lodged by the Old Students' Association of the relevant school with Chief Police Inspector Ruwan Chaminda, the OIC of the Nikaveratiya Divisional Criminal Investigation Unit. On behalf of the complainant, Sub-Inspector J.A.N.D. Sumanadasa presented facts before the court under the instructions of the Chief Police Inspector, while a panel of lawyers appeared for the defendants. Further investigations into this incident are being carried out under the direct supervision of Senior Superintendent of Police Gallage, in charge of the Nikaveratiya Division.