Main Accused In Durgapur Gang Rape Identified, Classmate Among Co-Accused

The main accused of the gang rape of a second year medical student in West Bengal's Durgapur was identified as Firdous Sheikh, while five others were named co-accused.

The five co-accused include the survivor's boyfriend and classmate. The survivor's lawyer Partha Ghosh said that the classmate is the "main conspirator or mastermind" of the gang rape incident.

Information on the accused was read out as part of the Test Identification (TI) parade report in the Durgapur Sub-divisional Court on Monday.

The medical student from Odisha was allegedly gang raped on October 10 in a forested area outside a private medical college and hospital.

After the end of the five-day judicial custody period, all six accused were virtually presented in the Durgapur Sub-divisional Court from the correctional facility. There was no lawyer representing the accused during the virtual hearing and they themselves requested the judge to grant them bail.

According to the Ghosh, the judge stressed the urgent submission of the charge sheet and the speedy start of the trial process. "If the police submit the charge sheet before the next hearing on October 31, the trial process will begin very quickly. Before that, a copy of the charge sheet will be given to all parties involved in the case. Then, the trial phase will begin after framing the charges," said the lawyer.

The judge rejected the bail applications of the accused and ordered their judicial custody till October 31.