A 24-year-old first-year law student at South Calcutta Law College was gangraped by three men inside the college premises in Kolkata’s Kasba area on June 26. The incident that comes 10 months after the RG Kar hospital rape and murder case has triggered a major political row in West Bengal. Kolkata law student rape case: BJP shared photos of the accused with Abhishek Banerjee.(X/@amitmalviya)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a fresh attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), alleging links between the accused and top party leaders. BJP’s national spokesperson, Pradeep Bhandari and the party’s IT chief, Amit Malviya, posted images of accused Manojit Mishra with TMC leaders, including CM Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee and health minister Chandrima Bhattacharya.

“Yet again, Mamata Banerjee’s government is found standing with the accused! Manojit Mishra is a TMC member,” BJP’s Bhandari said. “Whether it is the RG Kar rape-murder or this case, TMC is seen shielding the accused.”

The BJP also accused the state government of a cover-up. “Why the silence? Who are they shielding?” Malviya asked. He added, “Under Mamata Banerjee’s rule, Bengal has become a nightmare for women.”

Malviya posted on ‘X’, “OUTRAGEOUS! Manojit Mishra, one of the prime accused in the brutal gang-rape of a college student in Kasba has direct links with the most powerful in the TMC.” he said while sharing the image of accused with TMC leaders.

TMC urges BJP not to politicise South Kolkata gangrape case

Responding to the BJP’s allegations, TMC leader Shashi Panja on Friday condemned the crime and urged the opposition not to politicise the tragedy. Addressing a press conference, Panja said she was “distressed” by the incident and emphasised that strict action was already underway.

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“There was an immediate postmortem and dissection to look at the names and the religion. You have to condemn the incident. You are now trying to show photographs,” Panja said, referring to BJP leaders sharing images of one of the accused with TMC leaders.

She defended the swift police action, stating that within 12 hours of the complaint, all three accused were arrested, their mobile phones seized, and the victim’s statement recorded.

“The BJP cannot even think the way Kolkata Police swung into action,” she said, accusing the party of trying to malign the ruling government because “such swift action is missing in the BJP-ruled states.” Panja insisted that the TMC’s student wing does not promote violence and added, “If they want to be in Bengal as a responsible Opposition, then they have to behave responsibly.”

All accused sent to four-days judicial custody

The police arrested three accused—Manojit Mishra (31), a former student of the college; and Zaib Ahmed (19) and Pramit Mukherjee (20), both current students. All three were produced before the Alipore court and sent to police custody till July 1.

According to the police, medical reports have confirmed injuries on the woman’s body consistent with sexual assault, including “forceful penetration, bite marks and nail scratches.”

The incident has revived memories of the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case from less than a year ago, which also caused widespread outrage. In that case, a woman was found dead inside a seminar hall, with injuries suggesting rape and torture. Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer, was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.