Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court was informed on Thursday that the family of the South Kolkata Law College student, who was allegedly gang-raped on campus, is currently satisfied with the pace and direction of the Kolkata Police investigation into the incident.
A division bench comprising Justices Soumen Sen and Smita Das De was hearing a clutch of public interest litigations (PILs) demanding an independent probe into the matter and improved safety protocols in educational institutions across West Bengal. The incident, which occurred on college premises in June, sparked widespread outrage and renewed concerns over campus security.
During the hearing, the advocate representing the victim told the court that the family was content with the police’s handling of the case so far. He also submitted that the family sought access to the status report on the investigation, which was submitted to the court in a sealed cover, in order to retain confidence in the judicial and investigative processes.
The state government, in compliance with earlier directions, placed its report on the ongoing probe before the bench. It was noted during the hearing that Kolkata Police had arrested all three accused individuals as well as a college security guard, within 48 hours of the incident being reported.
The court has now directed the investigating agency to file its next progress report within four weeks.
At the previous hearing, the bench had made it clear that its primary concern was the effectiveness and pace of the current investigation.
The matter is presently being handled by Kolkata Police’s detective department, along with a Special Investigation Team (SIT).
Petitioners in the PILs highlighted security lapses on campus, including unrestricted access granted to ex-students after hours, lack of surveillance systems, and alleged administrative failures to ensure fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 15, 19, and 21 of the Constitution.