Kolkata law college rape case: Is Bengal failing its women? Experts debate on Preeti Choudhry's show
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
TOI reconstructs the real crime that led to campus gang rape
Cops on Friday took the accused in the law college rape case to the scene of crime and reconstructed what happened last Wednesday to come up with a water-tight case in court. But the crime that Monojit Mishra, Pramit Mukherjee and Zaib Ahmed are alleged to have committed is bred by several systemic faults — of both omission and commission — that give these criminals a sense of immunity and impunity. CRIME & NO PUNISHMENT Monojit Mishra, the main accused in the alleged gang rape of the 24-year-old law student, was a repeat offender with 11 cases, including molestation, registered against him at multiple police stations such as Kalighat, Haridevpur, Kasba, Tollygunge and Gariahat. He was arrested thrice. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata The charges included outraging modesty, attempted murder, causing grievous hurt, criminal intimidation, theft, rioting, and wrongful restraint. Though charge sheets were submitted in all 11 cases, he got bail within a short time in each case. There were four charges of molestation against Mishra, including one in 2019 where a female student accused him of tearing her clothes in the college and another in 2022 when a woman accused him of assault, theft, and vandalism. Among the past cases were allegations of assaulting a man in Kalighat in 2017, stealing gadgets and electronic items from a friend's home during a New Year's Eve party in Jan 2020, and a complaint of beating a security guard in the law college in May 2024. CHAIN INACTION Apart from the 11 cases, the former principal of the law college wrote a letter to the Kolkata Police Joint Commissioner (HQ) in Dec 2018, expressing concerns over Mishra and his associate's problematic conduct during college programmes and sought security for the college's social programme. Despite being accused of vandalism, Mishra was not only allowed access to the institution, but he was also recruited on the alleged recommendation of the college managing committee. A student said that a sexual harassment complaint was lodged, but no action was taken against him. LATERAL ENTRY Mishra first took admission to the law college in 2012 but was expelled the next year for his criminal activities. He then took admission again in 2017. That very year, he ransacked the campus, following which he was again barred from the campus. Mishra subsequently graduated in 2022. In 2023, after the TMCP unit at the college was dissolved, Mishra was rehabilitated, brought back to the campus, and unofficially given control of the college. Monojit's Facebook profile showed that he was a former president of the college TMCP unit. In 2024, he re-entered as an ad-hoc staff member despite objections from a majority of students and teachers to control the college and its admissions. His recruitment did not follow any procedures. He was handed the job on a platter at the governing body (GB) meeting on July 2, 2024, where only four members out of eight participated, including GB president and Budge Budge MLA Ashok Deb and vice-principal Nayna Chatterji, GB secretary. The majority of teachers and students raised objections. A student said that the vice-principal assured them that Monojit had changed. CONTROL OVER CAMPUS Mishra had demi-god status among a section of students and the administration. He had access on his phone to the college CCTV footage and blackmailed students and teachers with footage to extort. He had the keys to the guard room, union room, and even the campus. He had access to every document on the campus, like details of students, and would call them over the phone or even send his cronies to issue threats at their residences. He reportedly controlled 10-15 admissions each year, with a going rate ranging between Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakhs for each admission. Mishra had no assigned job role. He signed the attendance sheet for the entire month at a time and attended campus mostly after duty hours. If any teacher spoke against his irregular attendance or bribery, he issued death threats. Wielding his political clout and connections, he would threaten to kill students and do harm to their families if they spoke against him. Some female survivors were scared to lodge complaints after they were molested by him since they received threats. He had the audacity to walk into a classroom during lectures and call his associates away. He was also the admin of all the WhatsApp groups in the college. He morphed pictures of female students on nude pics and blackmailed them by circulating them. He stayed at the campus till late at night and engaged in drinking and other sorts of substance abuse.
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
No BJP alliance ever: Ex-revenue officer who joined actor Vijay's party
In an exclusive interaction with India Today, KG Arunraj, a former Indian Revenue Service officer and now the general secretary of propaganda and policy of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), dismissed any alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and claimed that the party led by actor-politician Vijay is all set to form the next government in Tamil who took voluntary retirement to join Vijay's newly launched political outfit in June, said the TVK has never entertained the idea of aligning with the leader made it very clear in our first party conference at Vikravandi that there will be no alliance - direct or indirect - with the BJP. This has been our stand right from the beginning,' he stated, referring to recent speculation. Responding to comments by BJP leaders like Nainar Nagendran and Tamilisai Soundararajan, who suggested Vijay should align with the BJP, Arunraj dismissed them as 'unsolicited advice.' He said, 'If they really have strength in Tamil Nadu, they should grow their party organically. They claim to be the biggest party in India, then why do they need our shoulders? We are not here to let anyone climb using us. Tamil and Periyar soil will continue to shut the doors on the BJP- now and forever.'Arunraj positioned TVK as the sole force genuinely opposing the ruling DMK, calling out what he described as the Chief Minister's 'work-from-home politics.' He cited Vijay's visit to actor Ajith Kumar's home in Sivakasi to personally offer condolences, contrasting it with the CM's gesture of only calling. 'Our leader has stepped onto the ground from day one and shown he genuinely cares for the people,' he suggestions that TVK is being soft on the AIADMK in the hopes of a future alliance, Arunraj denied such motives. 'Our job is to question the party in power. Since DMK is ruling, we are questioning DMK. Our leader has made it clear—TVK is neither AIADMK nor DMK to make compromises with BJP,' he the issue of youth support, Arunraj said that the entry of Vijay into politics has energized a generation disillusioned by corruption and dynastic politics. 'Before TVK, there was apathy among youth. Today, they are our biggest strength. Vijay evoked the legacies of Periyar, Kamarajar, Velunachiyar, and Anjalai Ammal, reintroducing their ideologies to a generation that had lost touch.'Responding to Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan's remark that politics is not easy and that Vijay should be prepared for hardship, Arunraj took the comment in stride. 'We are not AIADMK, DMK or even Jana Sena. We know politics is difficult. Easy things anyone can do - difficult things are for great leaders like Vijay,' he the road ahead, Arunraj was confident that the 2026 Assembly elections would mark a turning point. 'TVK will sweep the elections. We will form the government and Vijay will be sworn in as Chief Minister. He will bring real development to Tamil Nadu,' he said.- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
5L chit fund investors to get refunds in 4 months: Samal
1 2 Bhubaneswar: State govt will refund money to all eligible investors who were duped by chit fund companies, said state BJP president Manmohan Samal here on Friday. He said the BJP, in its election manifesto, promised the people of Odisha to refund money lost in chit fund scams. The govt has already refunded Rs 47 crore to 1.26 lakh chit fund depositors in a year. "A list of 5 lakh investors is ready, and they will get refunds in the next four months," he added. Samal said that due to dedicated efforts of the BJP govt, eligible beneficiaries affected by chit funds scam will get their money back. He expressed gratitude to chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi for the initiative. He said that trusting the BJD govt, people had invested their hard-earned money in various chit fund companies. "Unfortunately, the BJD govt betrayed their trust. A total of 174 chit fund companies swindled the people of Odisha. Many ministers, MPs, and MLAs from the BJD were allegedly involved in misappropriating public money under the guise of chit funds," he alleged. Samal said several BJD members and ministers were jailed in connection with the chit fund scam. "Thousands of eligible depositors, who invested in chit funds, were left in uncertainty, leading to a loss of public trust in the govt. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gold Is Surging in 2025 — Smart Traders Are Already In IC Markets Learn More Undo Following this, the Supreme Court intervened, leading to the formation of a corpus fund and a commission, but implementation was lacking, and the investigation report was not made public due to the questionable intentions of the BJD govt," he alleged. He said the BJP govt took immediate action to refund those affected by the chit fund scam. "The BJP govt is sensitive to the plight of the affected depositors and is committed to ensuring that all eligible people get their money back," he added. Samal said a system will be put in place to ensure that depositors can get their refunds by showing minimal proof. BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said Samal is suffering from selective amnesia. "Last month, he was telling that chit fund-related documents are missing. Now he is confidently telling the govt can refund money to all chit fund investors, which means the govt has all the documents. He is misleading the people," he added. Mohanty said the BJP govt recently said Rs 119 crore was refunded to 2.79 lakh chit fund investors between 2014 and 2024. "It proves the BJD govt was refunding the money of chit fund depositors. For the sake of opposing the BJD, Samal should not speak whatever he wants," he added.
