Kolkata Police have uncovered new details in the ongoing investigation into the gangrape of a 24-year-old law student from South Calcutta Law College, which took place on June 25 inside the college campus.
According to investigators, Monojit Mishra, the prime accused in the case, reached out to several people he considered his “mentors” the day after the assault, apparently seeking help to shield himself. However, none agreed to assist him, with at least one “influential” person reportedly advising him to “back off” after realizing the gravity of the crime.
So far, four people connected to the case are in police custody: Monojit Mishra, students Zaib Ahmed (19) and Pramit Mukherjee (20), and 55-year-old security guard Pinaki Banerjee.
Accused Tried to Seek Help After Crime
Police sources said that following the incident, Monojit was seen moving through multiple areas of South Kolkata, including Rashbehari, Deshapriya Park, Gariahat, Fern Road, and Ballygunge Station Road, in search of assistance. Mobile tower data confirmed his presence in these areas and also placed him near Karaya police station on June 26.
“Monojit tried to contact people he considered mentors in the hope of getting help, but after understanding the seriousness of the case, one of them advised him to stay away,” an investigating officer told PTI.
Crime Was Pre-Planned, Say Police
Investigators believe that the Kolkata gangrape was not a spur-of-the-moment act but was planned in advance. Call Detail Records (CDRs) obtained during the investigation revealed that Monojit, Pramit, and Zaib were in frequent contact in the days leading up to the crime.
Mishra, a former leader of the Trinamool Congress student wing and an ex-student of the law college, was recently arrested in connection with the alleged rape of a 24-year-old student. The incident reportedly occurred on June 25 inside a security guard’s room on the South Calcutta Law College campus.
The complainant alleged that Mishra had earlier proposed marriage to her, a proposal she had declined. She claims that he raped her in the presence of two other students, Zaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukherjee.
All three were arrested and remanded to police custody until July 8. A fourth arrest was made shortly after, involving college security guard Pinaki Bandyopadhyay, who was also linked to the case.
A medico-legal examination conducted on Mishra revealed scratch marks on his body, which investigators believe may be signs of resistance from the survivor. However, Mishra’s lawyer countered this claim, stating that the marks were “love bites” rather than evidence of struggle.
The case has sparked widespread protests and drawn attention to the college’s past warnings, which now appear to have gone unheeded.
