Several pieces of evidence corroborate Kolkata rape survivor’s statement: Cops

Kolkata: Several pieces of evidence corroborate the statements made by the 24-year-old law student who was allegedly gang-raped in the South Calcutta Law College on June 25, officials aware of the developments said. These include the results of the survivor’s medical tests, CCTV footage, video clippings found in the accused’s mobile phone and other circumstantial evidence.

Meanwhile, three separate petitions were moved in the Calcutta high court and one in the Supreme Court seeking judicial intervention in the case.

“Report of the victim’s medical test done on June 26 revealed that there were marks around her neck. There were also some marks over the breasts. The medical report hasn’t ruled out a sexual assault. The victim’s medico legal test was done on June 28,” said a police officer.

Also Read: Kolkata law student gangrape: What a seven-hour long key CCTV footage showed

HT has seen a copy of the medical report conducted on June 26.

The survivor, a first-year student, had alleged that she was gang-raped by Monojit Mishra, a contractual employee of the college, who is also a former student and a youth leader of the Trinamool Congress, and two existing students – Zaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukherjee – on June 25 inside the security guard’s room between 7.30 pm and 10.50 pm.

The survivor stated that while the prime accused Monojit Mishra, 31, was trying to force himself upon her and she was crying, she had a panic attack.

“I had a panic attack and shortness of breath. Mishra asked Ahmed and Mukherjee to come inside the room. I asked for help from them. I asked them to take me to the hospital. But they were not helping me. Then Mishra told them to bring an inhaler for me,” she said..

Police have located the medical store Ethan Pharma, near the college, from where Ahmed had purchased the inhaler at 8.29 pm. The medical store owner told the police that as Ahmed didn’t have enough cash, he said that he would pay the half through UPI. When the store owner insisted on making the payment through one mode, he paid ₹350 through UPI. Police have seized the receipt.

Also Read: Monojit Mishra was appointed at Kolkata law college 45 days before gang-rape case

Officials aware of the developments said that during interrogation both Mukherjee and Ahmed claimed that Mishra had promised to give them plum posts in the TMC’s youth wing in the college, if they helped him to lure the woman on June 25 and detain her after college so that he can engage in a sexual relationship.

“Mishra had discussed the plan with them at least two days before, the two accused have claimed during interrogation adding that they were promised good posts in the college unit if they can prove their allegiance to Mishra,” said an officer.

The survivor in her statement said that she was given the post of a girl’s secretary in the TMC’s youth wing in the college and asked to stay back after college hours for further discussions. Police have prepared a list of at least 17 people who were there in the college after 4 pm. The sleuths are likely to question them soon.

“The victim had stated that there were at least seven persons in the Union room including the general secretary of the college’s student union. A few other persons have been identified from CCTV footage. The college authorities have been asked to give their phone numbers and addresses,” said an official.

The survivor had said that she was forcefully taken into the guard’s room by Mukherjee and Ahmed and the guard was asked to leave the room. CCTV footage reveals that the guard didn’t do anything to help the woman. Nor did he inform police on 100 or the college authorities.

The guard Pinaki Banerjee, however, told police during questioning that the accused persons had snatched away his mobile phone before asking him to leave the room. CCTV footage revealed that he was loitering in the campus when the woman was being allegedly raped. 

Also Read: Kolkata rape case: Main accused Monojit Mishra is a ‘history-sheeter’ with past cases of harassment, assault, and theft

“At least three separate petitions were moved before the bench of Justice Soumen Sen of the Calcutta high court. While one petition sought a court-monitored probe, another sought a probe by a retired judge of the Calcutta high court. The PILs are likely to be heard later this week,” said a lawyer aware of the developments.

Meanwhile, a four-member team set-up by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president JP Nadda arrived in Kolkata on Monday. The team first went to the police headquarters at Lalbazar and then to the college in south Kolkata. A scuffle broke out between the activists of students’ wing of the BJP and the CPI(M) outside the college.

Meanwhile, the authorities of the South Calcutta Law College decided to suspend classes for all students for an indefinite period, a notification issued on Monday said.

A senior official of the college said that the authorities have also decided to terminate the service of Mishra, a contractual employee, and rusticate the two students Mukherjee and Ahmed. The decision was taken after a direction came from the state education department.