Kolkata, 2 July (H.S.) —

The appointment of Manojit Mishra, the contractual staffer accused of raping a student at Kasba Law College, has sparked a major controversy, with fresh revelations suggesting serious procedural violations in his hiring.

According to college insiders, Mishra — a former student of the same institution — was appointed in blatant disregard of college regulations. Sources confirmed that the proposal to hire him was brought before the college’s governing body a few months ago. However, only four out of eight members supported the move. As per college rules, a two-thirds majority is required to approve any temporary appointment, a threshold that was clearly not met.

Further raising red flags, sources revealed that the remaining four members of the governing body had opposed Mishra’s appointment due to his prior involvement in incidents of violence, grievous assault, and allegations of sexual misconduct within the campus. Despite this, his appointment was allegedly pushed through under the influence of a powerful member of the governing body, whom Mishra referred to as Chacha (uncle).

In the wake of the recent rape allegations, the college has terminated Mishra’s contractual appointment with immediate effect and has directed him to return all salary payments received during his tenure. Two other accused in the case — Jaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukhopadhyay, both current students — have also been expelled from the institution.

Opposition leaders have raised serious questions about how Mishra was hired despite his criminal background being widely known on campus. BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya issued a sharp statement, alleging that the incident reflects a deeper, systemic failure. “This is not an isolated case. Women at this college have long faced harassment, violence, and even attempted murder. Mishra remained embedded in the system only because he was shielded by those in power,” Malviya said.

He further added, “Now that public outrage has erupted, the college is trying to absolve itself of responsibility. This isn’t accountability — it’s complicity. The governing body chairman and TMC MLA Ashok Kumar Deb, vice-principal Nayana Chatterjee, and all those who either approved or protected Mishra’s appointment must resign and face legal consequences.”

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh