Kolkata (West Bengal) [India] June 30 : The Kolkata Police said on Monday that all three FIR-named accused in the Kasba Law College gangrape case were arrested within 12 hours of the incident. A fourth accused was also apprehended based on evidence collected during the investigation.
Police added that the medicolegal examination of both the victim and the accused has been completed, and forensic experts have examined the crime scene. A Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by senior officers, is overseeing the probe to ensure a swift and thorough investigation.
In a post on X, Kolkata police informed, "Kasba Law College case update: All the three FIR-named accused persons have been arrested in less than 12 hours. Another accused person has since been arrested based on evidences. Medicolegal examination of the victim and the accused persons have been completed. Forensic examination of the place of occurrence has been done. Investigation is being monitored by a special investigation team under the close supervision of senior officers. Kolkata Police is committed to ensure that the perpetrators of the crime face the harshest possible legal action and the victim gets justice at the earliest."
https://x.com/KolkataPolice/status/1939603616286773379
Meanwhile, a four-member investigation committee comprising BJP leaders Satpal Singh, Meenakshi Lekhi, Biplab Kumar Deb and Manan Kumar arrived in Kolkata to look into the case.
The West Bengal government and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee are facing mounting public backlash, particularly as the incident comes close on the heels of the RG Kar Medical College rape case.
Arindam Kanjilal, the victim's advocate, told ANI that based on the FIR, the case falls under gangrape charges. "The highest punishment shall not be less than 20 years and can exceed up to life imprisonment," he said.
Kanjilal praised the swift action by the police and dismissed calls for a CBI probe. "I don't think there is a need to bring CBI...Kolkata police is more than sufficient to tackle anything," he said.
He also clarified that he was unaware of any prior unethical or immoral behaviour on the campus by the accused. Calling the incident "very unfortunate," he mentioned that the victim is his student and one of the accused was his batchmate.
The alleged gangrape took place on June 25 inside the South Calcutta Law College in Kolkata's Kasba area. The four arrested accused include the main accused, Manojit Mishra. A five-member SIT has been formed to lead the investigation.