"Could Terrorise...": What Cops Told Court About Monojit Mishra In Rape Case

The Kolkata Police, investigating the rape of a law student in Kasba's South Calcutta Law College, has added five new sections - including those related to kidnapping and wrongful confinement - against Monojit Mishra and the two students who are among the accused in the case. 

The police have also told the court that Mishra is very influential and, if he is let out, could hamper the investigation by terrorising the survivor and witnesses.

In its four-page petition before the court of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate in Kolkata, accessed by NDTV, in which it sought the extension of police custody of Mishra and the two students -  identified as 19-year-old Zaib Ahmed and 20-year-old Pramit Mukhopadhyay - the Kolkata Police said all three attempted to mislead investigators.

New Sections

The five new sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita which have been added are: 118(1): Causing grevious hurt with dangerous weapons or means; 351(3): Criminal intimidation, 140(3): Kidnapping, 140(4): Kidnapping in order to murder and 142: Wrongful confinement. The case, which was being probed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), has also been handed over to the detective department.

In its petition, the police stated several reasons for seeking extension of custody. The three men, the police alleged, "made contradictory statements to divert the investigation", and it was necessary to investigate them together to unearth the truth.

Their custody, the police said, was also needed so police could reconstruct the scene of crime, find out whether any other persons were involved, recover "incriminating articles", and verify the statements of the accused with those of witnesses. 

'Influential'

Opposing bail petitions of Mishra and the two others, the police said the former student, who was also an accused in several crimes in the past, could terrorise the survivor and the witnesses. "The accused person is very influential and may influence the investigation," the police said in the petition, adding there is a chance of all three going on the run if they get bail. 

The 24-year-old law student was allegedly raped at the South Calcutta Law College in Kolkata's Kasba area on June 25 by Mishra. The two students and a security guard are the other accused.

On Monday, the court extended the police custody of Mishra and the two students till July 8. The security guard will be in police custody till Friday.