Kolkata Police have filed a chargesheet in the South Calcutta Law College gang rape case. After 58 days into investigation, a 650-page chargesheet was submitted to the Alipore court on Saturday, August 23. The main charges include the names of four people, including former leader of the college’s student body Monojit Mishra. The four accused are currently in judicial custody.
It is reported that a case is being filed against four people under the Information Technology Act in addition to gang rape and murder threats. The chargesheet reportedly mentions the recording of testimonies of 80 people. DNA and forensic reports have also been provided.
“The charges, based on technical, scientific and circumstantial evidence, ranged from gang rape, forcible wrongful confinement, kidnapping with the intention to cause harm, hiding evidence, misleading the probe and others,” a police officer said.
South Calcutta Law College gangrape case
In June this year, a student had filed a complaint of gang rape within Kasba Law College. The victim is a 24-year-old female student of the college. The student was allegedly gang-raped inside the college premises. The crime was captured on video, which the perpetrators reportedly used to threaten the victim into silence.
A complaint was filed against the former leader of the college’s student body, Monojit Mishra, and his associates. The student’s complaint was filed on June 26, the day after the crime. All four accused were arrested shortly after the crime was reported on June 26.
The crime scene was videotaped and blackmail was also alleged against them. Questions were raised about the security of the educational institution in this incident. In addition, allegations were made that members of the ruling party’s student body were involved in it.
Mishra, who was working as a temporary staffer in the college since 2024, was terminated from the service, while Ahmed and Mukherjee, the students of the institute, were expelled.
Mishra was a former Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) unit president of the college, and the two other accused were his associates. At that time, the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad held a press conference and informed that the accused Monojit Mishra is an alumnus of the college and the student body. He was also suspended by TMCP.
Following the incident, investigators looked into the college’s administrative records, particularly the governing body meeting minutes, to scrutinize complaints that had been made against Mishra. Prime accused Monojit Mishra allegedly believed the video threat would prevent the victim from reporting the assault to the police.
The accused in chargesheet
Monojit “Mango” Mishra: A temporary staff member and former student of the college, has been identified as the prime accused. He allegedly has a history of harassing women including sexual harassment, threats and blackmail.
Pramit Mukherjee and Zaib Ahmed: Two other students of the college who are accused of assisting the prime accused.
Pinaki Banerjee: A college security guard has been accused of abetting the crime by allowing the perpetrators to use his room and not intervening.
The charge sheet names Manojit Mishra as the main accused. Apart from this, Pramit Mukherjee, Zaib Ahmed and college security guard Pinaki Banerjee are also named as accused. The police have submitted a total of 650 pages of documents including a 170-page charge sheet. Forensic and DNA reports have also been given. The charge sheet includes gang rape, threats to kill victim while being held captive, recording on mobile phones for blackmail, a case has been filed under these sections and the Information Technology Act.
West Bengal Aparajita Bill
This brings some relief to the victim student and her family. The state government has brought the ‘Aparajita Bill’ to prevent gender-based violence like rape. But the bill has not come into effect. The West Bengal Aparajita Women and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024, is currently awaiting presidential assent after being passed by the West Bengal Assembly in September 2024. In February 2025, Trinamool Congress (TMC) Members of Parliament met with the President to urge her to approve the bill, which had been pending for over five months. Everyone is hopeful that if this law is amended, the culprits will be given the harshest punishment.