Multiple pleas in HC seek independent court-monitored probe

Kolkata: Several public interest petitions (PILs) have been filed before the Calcutta High Court on Monday demanding an independent, court-monitored investigation into the alleged rape of a student inside the premises of a South Kolkata Law College.

The incident has sparked widespread outrage, coming within a year of the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in the city.

The pleas were mentioned before a division bench comprising Justices Soumen Sen and Smita Das De. The bench has agreed to take up the matter for hearing on Thursday.

Prior to the filing of the pleas, the All India Lawyers Union (AILU), Calcutta High Court unit, had written to the Chief Justice of the High Court, urging the court to take suo motu cognizance of the alleged gang rape. According to the complaint lodged by the survivor, she had gone to the college campus on June 25 for academic purposes when three individuals allegedly confined her in the guard’s room where she was sexually assaulted.

The complainant has also stated that a video of the act was recorded by the accused, who subsequently threatened her against disclosing the assault. Following the complaint, Kolkata Police arrested all three FIR-named accused, as well as the security guard, who was reportedly present in the room where the incident occurred. A local court remanded all four in police custody for four days.

In response to the incident, the West Bengal government constituted a nine-member SIT headed by Assistant Commissioner of Police of the South Suburban Division, Pradip Kumar Ghosal.

The SIT, initially formed with five members, was later expanded to nine for a more comprehensive probe.