In a major development in the South Calcutta Law College rape case, scratch marks have been found on the body of prime accused Monojit Mishra, suggesting the survivor resisted the assault, according to police sources. The marks were discovered during a medico-legal examination conducted on Sunday and are consistent with fingernail-inflicted injuries described in the survivor’s statement.
Police said these injuries point to a physical struggle during the alleged June 25 incident, which took place inside a room allocated to the college’s security guard. “The injuries match the narrative of resistance,” an official said, indicating that the survivor fought back as she was being assaulted.
Custody Extended, Digital Evidence Supports Survivor’s Testimony
A city court on Tuesday extended the police custody of Mishra, along with co-accused Zaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukherjee, by eight more days till July 8. The three had initially been remanded to four days’ custody following their June 26 arrest. A fourth accused, security guard Pinaki Banerjee, had his custody extended to July 4 after a court rejected his bail plea.
The investigation, now being handled by a nine-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), has also revealed new digital leads. Call records show that Mishra had a phone conversation with Vice Principal Dr Nayna Chatterji the morning after the assault, prompting two rounds of police questioning.
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Further bolstering the survivor’s account, CCTV footage retrieved from a nearby pharmacy shows co-accused Zaib Ahmed purchasing an inhaler—supporting the survivor’s claim that she suffered a panic attack and was denied hospital access. The shop owner confirmed the timeline and mode of payment.
Disciplinary action against Monojit Mishra, others
Meanwhile, disciplinary action has been initiated by the college administration. Mishra’s temporary appointment has been terminated, and Zaib and Pramit have been expelled. The college governing body has also recommended cancelling Mishra’s Bar Council membership, citing his role as a practising criminal lawyer.
Courtroom proceedings were conducted via virtual mode to prevent clashes with protesting students outside the Alipore court complex. Student groups marched from the college to Gariahat Crossing, demanding stricter campus safety measures. Simultaneously, members of the BJP legal cell submitted a memorandum urging lawyers to refrain from representing the accused.
The Kolkata Police continue to probe the case intensively, correlating mobile data, CCTV footage, call records, and medico-legal findings with the survivor’s testimony. Investigators confirmed that so far, the digital and forensic evidence aligns with the survivor’s detailed account of the crime.
