Detective dept takes over Kolkata law college rape probe

Earlier, a five-member SIT was formed to probe the case, later expanded to nine members. The SIT will now assist in the investigation: Police

Kolkata: The detective department of the Kolkata Police has taken over the probe into the alleged gang-rape of a 24-year-old student inside a south Kolkata law college, with abduction charges added under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), police officers familiar with the matter said.

A 24-year-old student was allegedly gang-raped on June 25 inside the law college campus in Kasba. (PTI)

“Looking into the sensitivity of the case, the detective department will now probe into it. Earlier a five-member special investigation team (SIT) was set up to probe into the case, which was later expanded by adding four more members. The SIT will now assist the case,” a senior officer said.

Police had registered a first information report (FIR) under three sections, including gang-rape, of the BNS. Additional sections, including 118 (voluntarily causing hurt using dangerous weapons), 140(3) (kidnapping), and 140(4) (abducted person subjected to grievous hurt, slavery or unnatural lust), were included in the FIR on Wednesday, the officer said.

A 24-year-old student was allegedly gang-raped on June 25 inside the law college campus in Kasba. Former student of the college and now a non-teaching staff Monojit Mishra (31), along with two students — Zaib Ahmed (19) and Pramit Mukherjee (20) — were arrested on June 26, while a security guard of the college was arrested the following day.

“We have spoken with the victim for more than an hour. She was traumatised and was crying. She was counselled before she could speak to us and tell us everything. We have recommended that she should be counselled further. Her safety and security are very important,” chairperson of the commission Leena Gangopadhyay said.

Police said the alleged incident on Wednesday took place between 7.30 pm and 10.50 pm, when the woman had gone to fill out some forms for an upcoming exam.

“All the evidence police have gathered – results of the medical and medico-legal tests, digital evidence, and circumstantial evidence – corroborate the survivor’s statements. There is more evidence which the SIT is looking into. We are exploring all angles and that’s why we have sought an extension on the accused persons’ police custody,” Sourin Ghoshal, public prosecutor in the case, told the court on Tuesday.

Police have also appointed advocate Bivas Chatterjee as a special public prosecutor in the case. Chatterjee has ensured strictest punishments, including the death penalty, in multiple rape and murder cases in the past.

Police sources said that they were analysing the call detail records (CDR) and mobile tower locations of the mobile phones of the trio before they were arrested.

The mobile tower traced Mishra to a location near the Ballygunge station an hour before he was arrested on June 26. Police are now trying to find out whether he went there to meet anyone.

HT had reported that the CDR of Mishra’s mobile phone revealed that he had spoken with the vice-principal Nayna Chatterji once in the morning of June 26. Police have already questioned her twice.

Meanwhile, Calcutta University, under which the college is affiliated, sent a five-member inspection team on Wednesday to assess whether the semester exams scheduled for July 16 can be held. “We sent a five-member inspection team to the college to look into the general administration and how semester exams, which are scheduled on July 16, could be held. We have asked the college authorities to give us a report. If necessary, the exams may be held in another venue,” vice chancellor of Calcutta University Santa Datta told HT.