Kolkata Police told the court that Monojit Mishra is highly influential and “could terrorise the survivor and witnesses.” His custody has been extended to prevent obstruction of justice.
Kolkata: Today, on July 2, In a shocking development in the South Calcutta Law College rape case, the Kolkata Police has added five more serious charges against the main accused, Monojit Mishra, and two students, Zaib Ahmed (19) and Pramit Mukhopadhyay (20), who were earlier arrested for allegedly gang-raping a 24-year-old law student on June 25.
The incident reportedly took place inside the college premises in Kasba, Kolkata. These new charges include kidnapping, wrongful confinement, and criminal intimidation under the recently implemented Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to a four-page petition submitted by the Kolkata Police to the court of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate in Kolkata, the accused have been trying to mislead the investigation and are giving contradictory statements.
The petition, accessed by NDTV, outlines how all three accused allegedly made inconsistent statements “to divert the investigation” and that their custodial interrogation is necessary to find the truth.
In the plea seeking an extension of their police custody, the police highlighted that they need more time to interrogate all three accused together to reconstruct the crime scene, recover any “incriminating articles”, verify witness statements, and determine if more people were involved.
The petition also points out that the investigation was earlier under a Special Investigation Team (SIT), but the case has now been handed over to the Detective Department of Kolkata Police for further probe.
The police have invoked five new sections under the BNS in this case:
- Section 118(1): Causing grievous hurt with dangerous weapons or means
- Section 351(3): Criminal intimidation
- Section 140(3): Kidnapping
- Section 140(4): Kidnapping in order to murder
- Section 142: Wrongful confinement
The petition raised strong concerns over the influence of the main accused, Monojit Mishra, stating that he is a powerful individual and his release could significantly affect the ongoing investigation.
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The police wrote,
“The accused person is very influential and may influence the investigation.”
They also warned the court that Mishra could intimidate both the survivor and the witnesses, and that there is a high risk of him and the two students fleeing if granted bail.
The petition clearly mentions,
“The accused person is very influential and may influence the investigation,” and added that Mishra “could terrorise the survivor and the witnesses.”
On Monday, the court extended the police custody of Mishra and the two student-accused until July 8. The fourth accused, a college security guard, will remain in police custody until Friday.
Police emphasized that custodial interrogation of the accused is essential at this stage to ensure a thorough investigation, and to avoid any tampering of evidence or intimidation of witnesses.
They also noted,
“made contradictory statements to divert the investigation.”
The developments in the case have shocked the legal and student community in Kolkata, especially given the fact that the alleged rape took place within the premises of a reputed law college.
The victim, a 24-year-old law student, continues to receive support from student groups and women’s rights activists, who are demanding a fair and speedy trial in the matter.
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