Satisfied with Kolkata Police probe: Law college rape survivor tells Calcutta High Court

The South Kolkata Law College rape victim told the Calcutta High Court on Thursday that she is satisfied with the police investigation in the case so far. 

A lawyer appearing for her made the statement before a Bench of Justices Soumen Sen and Smita Das De. 

“Victim’s Advocate-on-Record (AOR) has said that the victim is satisfied with the progress of the investigation so far,” the Court recorded in its order. 

The Bench was hearing public interest litigation (PIL) petitions seeking independent and court-monitored probe in the rape case. 

A first-year student was allegedly raped on June 25 in the security guard room of the South Calcutta Law College.

The survivor’s medical examination done in a state-run hospital corroborated her statements. Till now, four accused - Manojit Mishra, Promit Mukherjee, Zaid Ahmed and the college guard - have been arrested by the Kolkata Police. 

It is alleged that Mishra raped the student while the other two shot videos to blackmail her. 

Mishra is also stated to be associated with the Trinamool Congress's youth wing. 

During the hearing of the PILs today, the Court examined the case diary as well as the sealed cover report prepared by the police detailing the progress of the investigation. The Bench directed that a scanned copy of the progress report should be handed over to the victim’s counsel as well. 

“A scanned copy of this report to be prepared by the department in the presence of the officer of this court shall be handed over to the AOR for the victim, in the presence of the AOR of the state,” the Court said. 

It cautioned the victim’s counsel that the contents of the report must not be divulged to anyone. 

The police have been ordered to furnish another progress report in four weeks.

Meanwhile, the Bench also dismissed a PIL filed by one Vijay Kumar Singhal and questioned his bona fides. The Court noted that while the PIL was filed for a CBI probe in the case, the counsel for the petitioner started raising the issue of the human rights of the accused. 

“We are apprehensive about the bona fide of the petitioner that while there is an accusation of partial investigation, the petitioner is now espousing the cause of the accused being ill-treated or their human rights being violated. We have a serious doubt about their bona fide and the same is dismissed,” the Court ordered.