Kasba law student rape: College governing body meeting records under scanner

The investigation into the gang rape of a law student at South Calcutta Law College’s new campus in Kasba has expanded, with authorities now examining the Kasba Law College’s governing body meeting records under scanner. The move is aimed at determining whether prior complaints against the prime accused, Monojit Mishra, were ignored or mishandled by the college administration.

Sources within the Special Investigation Team (SIT) confirmed that minutes of recent governing body (GB) meetings, attendance registers, and internal communications have been seized. Authorities are probing whether the GB, chaired by a senior political figure associated with the state’s ruling party, overlooked red flags regarding Mishra—who was allegedly known for hooliganism on campus and had been appointed as contractual staff despite a history of misconduct.

The scrutiny follows public outrage over the alleged rape of a second-year student inside guard room on June 25. In response, the college’s governing body convened an emergency meeting and subsequently terminated Mishra's appointment and expelled the two students. All teaching and non-teaching staff are required to be present on campus from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mr. Barun Mahali, the permanent guard, will leave the college after checking the entire college building and locking the main gate. A notice issued on July 4th states that only students from the 4th, 6th, and 8th semesters are permitted to enter the college, provided they carry valid college ID cards. It further mentions that entry will be denied to any student who does not have a legitimate official reason to be on campus. As the case gains political and judicial traction, the Calcutta High Court has directed the West Bengal government to file an affidavit detailing the status of the investigation by July 10. Four individuals’ three students and a security guard—have been remanded to judicial custody until July 22.

The court also ordered the closure of all student union rooms across state colleges where elections are pending, citing the misuse of such spaces in the present case.

Further, a total of 17 students have been identified by the SIT based on CCTV footage and call detail records. Investigators are focusing on whether these students were directly involved or complicit in shielding the accused. The campus’s guardroom and union room have been sealed as part of forensic examination efforts.

In parallel, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo moto cognizance of the incident and demanded a comprehensive report from the state government.

Legal experts suggest the case could set a precedent on institutional responsibility in cases involving internal complaints of harassment or criminal conduct. The outcome of the probe into the governing body’s records could be pivotal in determining whether college authorities face legal consequences for potential dereliction of duty.