Monojit Mishra, Arrested for Gangrape, Was Designated Student Liaison at South Calcutta Law College

Administrators at South Calcutta Law College, where a 24-year-old first-year student was gangraped on June 25 after college hours, had last year issued a notice asking students to route all institutional queries through Monojit Mishra—the main accused in the case—despite his criminal history, documents reviewed by Hindustan Times show.

Mishra, a former student of the college and later hired as temporary office staff, was arrested alongside current students Promit Mukherjee and Zaib Ahmed, and security guard Pinaki Banerjee. According to Kolkata Police, Mishra has 11 pending criminal cases, including at least four related to molestation.

Despite these records, college authorities not only recruited Mishra in July 2024 but also issued a notice on August 13, 2024, officially naming him as the contact person for student-related matters. A copy of the notice, reviewed by HT, reads:

“Students of all semesters are hereby informed that any query related to students’ dealings of the college kindly contact Monojit Mishra (office staff) and Pallab Adhiakary (office staff).”

Mishra’s Appointment Sparked Internal Objections

College insiders said Mishra was appointed following recommendation by the governing body, chaired by Ashok Kumar Deb, a Trinamool Congress MLA from Budge Budge. The appointment was formalized during the governing body’s meeting on July 2, 2024.

“Some professors opposed his appointment due to his known criminal background, but the governing body went ahead without any due diligence or background checks,” said a senior professor, requesting anonymity.

Neither Deb nor Vice Principal Nayna Chatterji, who signed the notices involving Mishra, responded to HT’s calls or messages seeking comment.

Repeated Warnings Against After-Hours Stay Ignored

Records also show that the college had repeatedly warned students not to remain on campus after hours. A notice dated September 5, 2024, stated:

“The final bell will ring at sharp 3:45 pm and students should vacate the college premises by 4 pm. If any student stays or loiters in the college premises after 4 pm, strict action will be taken.”

HT reviewed similar notices issued on August 22, September 9, and November 14, all signed by the vice principal. However, faculty members revealed that no enforcement followed. Students routinely stayed on campus late into the evening, particularly in the union room, where the rape survivor was first harassed.

“These warnings remained on paper. The union room was often occupied till nightfall,” said the professor.

Survivor’s Complaint Details Crime Timeline

The survivor, in her complaint filed on June 26, said she was first sexually harassed in the union room around 7:30 pm, then again near the washroom, and was ultimately taken to the security guard’s room, where the gangrape occurred between 7:30 pm and 10:50 pm.

Investigation Underway

Kolkata Police have seized the governing body’s meeting register and documents related to Mishra’s appointment as part of their investigation.

This case raises serious questions about institutional negligence, flawed recruitment practices, and the failure to enforce safety protocols, all of which appear to have created conditions that enabled the horrific crime.