BJP 'Fact-Finding Team' Arrives in Kolkata Over Law College Gang Rape
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sent a four-member "fact-finding team" to Kolkata to investigate the recent gang rape of a student at the South Calcutta Law College. The team, comprising MPs including Meenakshi Lekhi and Biplab Kumar Deb, stated that women are not safe in West Bengal. The group alleged that the state government denied them permission to visit the college or meet with the chief secretary, escalating the political confrontation over the state's law and order situation.
Unpacked:
Police have gathered CCTV footage from the law college premises, showing the victim being forced into the guard room. Evidence has been collected from multiple campus locations, with signs of struggle found in several rooms. These samples have been sent for forensic examination, and the CCTV footage corroborates the victim's allegations.
The main accused include Manojit Mishra, Promit Mukherjee, Zaid Ahmed, and the college’s security guard Pinaki Banerjee. All have been arrested, produced before court, and are in police remand as the investigation continues. A special investigation team (SIT) has also been formed for the probe.
Police suspect the crime was motivated by the victim’s rejection of a marriage proposal from the prime accused, Manojit Mishra. In her complaint, the victim stated that the assault followed her refusal, and investigators are also examining whether the attack was pre-planned.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognisance and demanded a time-bound investigation. A BJP fact-finding team was denied access to key officials and the campus, escalating political tensions. The victim’s family has not requested a CBI probe, though some groups have demanded it.