In the aftermath of the alleged gang-rape of a 24-year-old student inside South Calcutta Law College, the Calcutta High Court on Thursday ordered the West Bengal education department to immediately shut down all student union rooms in colleges and universities across the state.
A division bench comprising Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Smita Das De passed the directive while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Sayan Banerjee. The PIL questioned how union rooms continued to function despite the state government’s previous submission that no official student unions or councils existed due to the absence of elections.
“The court has categorically ordered that no activity shall take place in any union room. If there is an urgent requirement, written permission must be obtained from the registrar or principal concerned,” Banerjee said.
The directive comes in the wake of a shocking incident on June 25, when a 24-year-old woman, allegedly the women’s wing secretary of the Trinamool Congress’s student arm (TMCP) in the law college, was gang-raped inside the campus premises in Kasba between 7:30 pm and 10:50 pm. She had gone to fill out forms for an upcoming examination. In her complaint, the survivor stated she was called to stay back for a “discussion” by Monojit Mishra, a former student turned non-teaching staff, and was then assaulted.
Mishra (31) was arrested on June 26 along with students Zaib Ahmed (19) and Pramit Mukherjee (20). A college security guard was arrested the following day. Mishra, according to his social media profiles, had been associated with the TMCP, though the ruling Trinamool Congress has denied he held any formal post. He is also a practicing criminal lawyer at Alipore court.
The court, during the same hearing, directed the state government to file an affidavit detailing the progress in the police investigation of the gang-rape case. It is also hearing two other PILs demanding a court-monitored or independent investigation — potentially by the CBI or under the supervision of a retired judge.
Advocate Souma Subhra Ray, who filed one of the PILs, raised multiple concerns:
- How was Mishra, an expelled student, re-admitted?
- Why were union leaders present after college hours?
- Why were weapons reportedly recovered from the union room?
- How did someone with 10 pending criminal cases secure college employment?
- What steps have been taken across campuses to ensure women’s safety?
Adding fuel to the controversy, TMCP state president Trinankur Bhattacharjee acknowledged there had been no active student union in the law college for several years, but pointed out that union fees were still being collected, and large-scale events continued under the banner of non-existent unions. “The law college gang-rape may not have happened if the illegal student union had not been operating,” he remarked.
The court’s order aims to halt unauthorized activities under the guise of student unions, and has triggered broader concerns over campus safety, transparency in hiring, and misuse of institutional infrastructure. The investigation into the law college case remains ongoing.
