Malda: Ex-school teacher gets life sentence for rape of minor during 2021 post-poll violence

Malda: The Additional District & Sessions Court in Malda has sentenced Rafikul Islam, a former school teacher, to life imprisonment for raping a minor girl during the 2021 post-poll violence. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 and directed a compensation of Rs 3 lakh to be paid to the survivor.

The CBI, which took over the case following the Calcutta High Court’s order, presented a strong case against the accused. According to the agency, Islam raped the minor girl in a nearby house while her sister witnessed the incident. The accused allegedly tried to bribe the sisters with Rs 10 and promised them an additional Rs 20 to keep quiet.

The court convicted Islam based on the testimony of 22 witnesses. CBI lawyer Amitava Maitra said: “This verdict proves that justice will prevail regardless of political influence. The accused has been  rightly penalised.”

The survivor’s family expressed satisfaction with the verdict, saying: “We had lost all hope but today, the court has stood by the truth.” Amlan Bhadhuri, General Secretary of South Malda BJP, welcomed the ruling, stating: “This case shows how police under the state government failed to act. It was only after the CBI took charge that the truth came out.”

However, TMC district vice-president Shubhamoy Basu dismissed the judgment as politically motivated, saying: “The case is driven by vendetta.

The CBI is acting as a puppet of the BJP. We will move to a higher court.”

This verdict marks the first conviction in a series of 55 cases taken over by the CBI in Bengal.