Kolkata, 1 July (H.S.): The investigation into the alleged gangrape of a 24-year-old student at Kasba Law College has taken a new turn after Kolkata Police recovered a video of the assault from the mobile phone of accused Pramit Mukhopadhyay. Earlier, the same video was found on the phone of the prime accused, Manojeet Mishra. The development has raised serious questions about the coordination among the accused and the gravity of the crime.

Police sources confirmed that the presence of the video on multiple devices suggests that the assault was not only premeditated but also deliberately documented and shared among the perpetrators. Mishra (31), a former student and temporary staff member at the college, along with two current students — Zaib Ahmed (19) and Pramit Mukhopadhyay (20) — were arrested on June 27, a day after the incident was reported. Additionally, a college security guard, Pinaki Bandyopadhyay, was detained for alleged inaction during the incident.

According to the survivor’s statement, Bandyopadhyay witnessed the assault but made no attempt to intervene. His alleged silence and inaction are now under scrutiny as part of the ongoing investigation.

The police have conducted a medical examination of the survivor and are reviewing CCTV footage from June 25 onward to trace the sequence of events. In response to the seriousness of the case, Kolkata Police has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to ensure a thorough and focused probe.

The existence of the video is central to the investigation, especially as the survivor had earlier told police that the accused threatened to use it for blackmail. Its recovery from more than one device strengthens the prosecution’s case and highlights the level of conspiracy involved.

Meanwhile, the Kasba incident has sparked public outrage, leading to the filing of two Public Interest Litigations (PILs) in the Calcutta High Court. A division bench headed by Justice Soumen Sen is scheduled to hear the petitions on Thursday. The court has directed that notices be served to all concerned parties.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh