In a shocking development in the Kolkata gangrape case, the police have been accused of deliberately omitting the names of the accused from the official FIR. Instead of naming the individuals, the FIR refers to them using only initials — ‘J’, ‘M’, and ‘P’. Allegedly, the names initially mentioned in the survivor’s complaint were later removed from the final FIR copy.

Attempt to Shield the Accused?

The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with accusations that the police are trying to shield the perpetrators. Political and civil society voices are questioning why the names were hidden if the accused are not minors. Speculation is rife that some of the accused may be politically influential, prompting the police to act with undue caution.

Former Police Officials Slam the Move

Former Deputy Commissioner of Police Satyajit Bandopadhyay strongly criticized the FIR, stating, “There is no legal provision that allows for accused names to be left out of an FIR. In my 40 years of service, I’ve handled many rape cases, even those ending in capital punishment — never have I seen FIRs without names. An FIR must clearly mention the date, time, and location of the incident, as well as the accused’s name, to be legally valid.”

He added, “Without names, an FIR remains incomplete and weak in court. The survivor’s identity must be protected by law, not that of the accused.”

Opposition Slams ‘Lawlessness’

BJP leader Sajal Ghosh commented, “This is a clear case of the police protecting criminals. Even a newly recruited constable knows that an FIR must include full names, not just initials. If names are incorrect or missing, how can the accused even be identified properly? In West Bengal, the law seems to be working in favor of criminals.”

CPI(M) leader Satarup Ghosh also raised concerns, stating, “The moment the FIR surfaced, questions were raised about the missing names. If the complainant personally knows the accused, there is no justification for this kind of concealment. There are numerous instances in India where technical loopholes like this have allowed real criminals to go unpunished.”

Echoes of the Abhaya Case

Nearly ten months ago, Kolkata witnessed another horrifying crime when a first-year college student, Abhaya, was raped and murdered on campus. That case too saw accusations of police negligence. Now, in the Kasba incident, similar criticisms are resurfacing — with the police once again accused of being complicit in shielding the powerful.