The Calcutta High Court on Thursday reviewed the ongoing police investigation into the alleged gang rape of a female law student on the South Calcutta Law College campus, directing the West Bengal government to furnish further updates on the case within four weeks.
A division bench comprising Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Smita Das De examined the Kolkata Police’s case diary and a sealed progress report submitted by the state. The report details developments in the probe into the alleged June 25 gang rape involving a college alumnus and two senior students.
The bench, while granting time for continued investigation, scheduled the next hearing for July 17 and instructed that a copy of the progress report be shared with the lawyer representing the survivor’s family — with a strict caution not to disclose its contents publicly.
The court’s directions followed its earlier order on July 3, which required the state to produce the case diary and a progress affidavit. Three public interest litigations (PILs) had been filed over the “appalling incident,” prompting judicial scrutiny of the investigation and institutional lapses.
Among the key concerns raised by the court and petitioners are:
- Access control failure: The court sought explanations as to how alumnus Manojit Mishra accessed the college campus after hours in violation of security protocols.
- Staff presence without purpose: The state was asked why college staff remained on campus beyond official hours without clear administrative roles or supervision.
- Lack of preventive action: Petitioners alleged that the college administration and local police ignored prior warnings and threats reported by the victim.
- Security lapses: The court asked the government to outline existing monitoring mechanisms to detect or prevent unauthorized entry.
One petitioner also urged that the investigation be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), alleging that main accused Mishra has political connections with the ruling party, potentially compromising the impartiality of the local police probe.
The other petitioners called for court-monitored investigation and demanded stricter security measures at educational institutions across the state to safeguard students.
So far, the Kolkata Police have arrested four individuals — Mishra, current students Promit Mukherjee and Zaid Ahmed, and a college security guard — in connection with the incident. All four remain in judicial custody.
