Monojit Mishra, the prime accused in the gang-rape of a 24-year-old law student in Kolkata, has been further implicated after doctors reportedly found scratch marks on his body. ‘History-sheeter’ Monojit Mishra faced charges of molestation, theft, vandalism before the Kolkata student gangrape case.(X, PTI)

Medical examination revealed nail-inflicted injuries, indicating that the victim tried to fight back during the assault. The alleged gang-rape took place inside a security guard’s room on the premises of South Calcutta Law College on June 25.

“There are signs of injuries, precisely scratch marks, on the body of Monojit. These injuries are fresh. Such injuries happen when someone faces struggle or resistance,” news agency PTI reported, quoting a well-placed police source.

Earlier, the medical examination of the survivor had also corroborated her statement, with doctors finding evidence of “forceful penetration, bite marks, and nail scratches” on her body.

Meanwhile, CCTV footage of the campus also showed the survivor being dragged by the accused inside the college premises.

Police have arrested four persons in connection with the case. First, they held the prime accused, Monojit Mishra, and his co-accused, Zaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukherjee, who were students of the law college. Later, college security guard Pinaki Bandyopadhyay was also arrested.

The nine-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Kolkata Police, which is currently probing the case, also found evidence of Monojit’s conversation with the Vice Principal of the law college, Dr Nayna Chatterji, the morning after the crime.

The call details record (CDRs) of the mobile phones of all three accused were cross-checked thoroughly. “We found that there was a call from Monojit’s number to the college VP the next morning after the crime took place. We have questioned the VP twice since yesterday to know the details of their conversation,” the IPS officer said.

He added that efforts are underway to find out every detail about the telephonic conversation between Monojit and Chatterji.

Additionally, police have also recovered the CCTV footage of a medical shop from where one of the accused, Zaib Ahmed, bought an inhaler for the survivor.

The survivor had requested her attackers to take her to a hospital when she fell sick during the assault. But when they denied her request, she reportedly urged them to get her an inhaler to help her breathlessness.

“Zaib Ahmed had gone to the medical store to fetch the inhaler. The owner of the pharmacy said that Zaib wanted to make half of the payment in cash and the rest via UPI, which we didn’t agree to. The accused then made the full payment online. We have taken a note of their version,” the police official said.

In her complaint as well, the 24-year-old woman mentioned that Zaib had brought the inhaler, which made her feel better. However, the relief did not last for long as they again began to torture her.

The police officer said that they have made a list of 16 people, mostly students, who were seen in the CCTV footage at the college after class hours. So far, investigating officers have questioned six of them. “We are talking to them to find out whether they have seen or heard anything there on June 25,” he added.

Several pieces of evidence, including digital footprints, medical tests, and the scene of the crime, have all corroborated the survivor’s complaint.

On Tuesday, police sought an extended 10-day custody of all the arrested accused at the Alipore court.

Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma told reporters that the investigating officers have collected many pieces of evidence in connection with the crime. “The matter is quite sensitive and I will not be able to reveal details. We have arrested the three accused within 12 hours after the FIR was filed. Another person was also arrested later,” he added.