Kolkata, 15 July (H.S.) –

The investigation into the alleged rape incident at the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM-C) is facing significant hurdles as the survivor has refused to cooperate with authorities. She has reportedly skipped both the mandatory medico-legal examination and her scheduled court appearances.

The accused in the case, Parmanand Mahavir Toppannavar alias Parmanand Jain (26), was remanded to police custody on July 12 until July 19. However, legal experts are now cautioning that the survivor’s continued non-cooperation could potentially weaken the prosecution’s case and benefit the accused.

Despite repeated requests by the Kolkata Police, the survivor has not appeared for the mandatory medical examination, which is critical in sexual assault investigations. She also failed to appear before the Judicial Magistrate on Monday and again on Tuesday, where she was expected to record her confidential statement under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Further complicating the investigation, the survivor has not handed over the clothes she wore on the day of the alleged incident, which could serve as vital forensic evidence. Police sources have also cited inconsistencies between the statements of the survivor and her father, with the latter insisting from the beginning that no incident of assault occurred.

The defense counsel representing the accused has urged the court to take note of the survivor’s non-cooperation and contradictory statements. They have requested that the duration of police custody for the accused be reduced in light of these developments.

Senior advocate Kaushik Gupta stated that the credibility and strength of the case are at risk if the survivor, after filing the complaint, does not participate in the legal process. “Her reluctance could directly impact the integrity of the prosecution’s argument, possibly giving legal advantage to the accused,” he said.

Another senior advocate, Anirban Guha Thakurta, added that the police are well within their rights to initiate an investigation to verify whether the initial complaint filed by the survivor was misleading or not.

As the situation evolves, the authorities are under growing pressure to determine the future course of the investigation, with legal experts emphasizing the importance of procedural compliance and cooperation in such sensitive cases.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh