Fourth arrest made; SIT formed; CCTV and forensics evidence corroborate allegations

Kolkata: Kolkata Police on Friday night arrested the 55-year-old security guard of a law college in South Kolkata in connection with the alleged gang rape of a first-year student, taking the total number of arrests in the case to four. A five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has also been constituted to probe the incident, which took place on the college premises on June 25. The SIT will investigate the incident under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner of Police (SSD), Pradip Kumar Ghosal. Moreover, CCTV camera footage obtained from the law college has corroborated the gang rape allegations. The footage, spanning over seven hours — from 3.30 pm to 10.50 pm on June 25 captured movements around the college premises, including the victim being forced into the guard’s room. “The CCTV footage confirms the girl’s allegations. It shows the movements of the three accused, the security guard and the victim. We are currently examining the footage,” an officer said. Investigators also collected evidence from three locations on campus—the students’ union room, the washroom, and the guard’s room—that supports the victim’s claims. Seized items include strands of hair, several bottles containing unknown liquids and a hockey stick. “There are clear signs of a struggle in all three rooms. The samples have been sent for forensic examination,” the officer added. In her complaint, the victim reported that she was threatened with a hockey stick by the accused. Investigators also recovered a video clip from a mobile phone belonging to one of the three arrested suspects. The survivor had earlier alleged that two videos were filmed during the assault and that the accused had threatened to circulate them. “A forensic analysis of the video is underway. We’re trying to determine if it was shared or deleted,” the officer said. The arrested guard, Pinaki Banerjee, was reportedly stationed just outside the guardroom where the 24-year-old student was allegedly gang-raped by the key accused Monojit Mishra alias Mango, a former student and contractual staffer at the college, with the help of two current students, Zaib Ahmed (19) and Pramit Mukherjee (20). All three were arrested within 12 hours of the survivor’s FIR being lodged on Thursday.

Banerjee was taken into custody after police found inconsistencies in his statements during interrogation. Investigators are probing whether he was merely a passive bystander or actively complicit in the crime. In her complaint, the survivor alleged that she was held captive and assaulted between 7:30 pm and 10:50 pm. She stated that when she tried to escape, she found the main college gate locked and that the guard failed to assist her. “The guard was helpless and did not help,” she wrote. It has also been alleged that the main accused instructed his aides to take her to the guardroom and directed the security guard to remain seated outside while the assault took place. On Friday night, Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma and other senior officers visited the college along with forensic experts. Sources said that the survivor’s medical examination, conducted on the night of June 26 at Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital, corroborated her claims. According to a report, “abrasion marks around the neck” were observed, along with marks in the private parts. The report stated that “sexual assault cannot be ruled out”. A medico-legal examination was also conducted and the survivor received counselling from an authorised professional, according to police sources. The victim’s statement was recorded before a magistrate under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) at Alipore Court on Saturday, amid tight police security. The survivor’s lawyer informed the media that she remains in a state of trauma and is currently at a secure location with her family.

She was taken to the college under heavy police escort for a crime scene reconstruction, conducted in the presence of senior Kolkata Police officials, officers from Kasba Police Station, the Rapid Action Force, the detective department, and forensic experts. Meanwhile, West Bengal Commission for Women Chairperson Leena Gangopadhyay met the survivor on Saturday and spent nearly an hour speaking to her. Gangopadhyay stated that the victim is in deep trauma and reiterated the need for sustained counselling and security. The Commission has formally urged the police to ensure her safety. National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has also written to the Chief Secretary of West Bengal, placing four key demands, including full cooperation from state authorities, to facilitate access to the survivor and her family for NCW member Archana Majumder, submission of medical examination reports within three days, and strong safety and security arrangements for the survivor and her family.