Is One Accused in Kasba Law College Rape Case Granted Bail?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Pinaki Banerjee granted bail after nearly four months in custody.
- Investigators labeled him as an accused for not intervening during the crime.
- Three other suspects remain in custody, with serious charges against them.
- The case highlights concerns over the college's hiring practices.
- Public and legal scrutiny continues regarding the treatment of sexual violence cases.
Kolkata, Oct 13 (NationPress) A Kolkata court has granted bail to one of the four individuals accused in the rape of a law student that occurred on her college grounds in Kasba earlier this year.
The individual who received bail, Pinaki Banerjee, serves as a security guard at the law college. According to the victim's statement given to police shortly after the incident on June 25, he was the “only powerless” witness to the crime.
Nevertheless, investigators classified him as an accused because he allegedly acted as a silent observer during the assault in the guard room located on campus.
The court granted him bail against a personal bond of Rs 20,000, almost four months after his arrest.
In contrast, the other three suspects in the case—Monojit Mishra, Jaib Ahmed, and Pramit Mukhopadhyay—will remain in judicial custody.
Mishra is identified as the main perpetrator of the rape, while Ahmed and Mukhopadhyay are cited as accomplices.
In response to the bail decision for Banerjee, his attorney stated that the investigation failed to establish any connection between his client and the crime.
“Other security staff confirmed that the overall conditions made it impossible for my client to intervene,” he remarked.
Monojit Mishra, a former student and contractual employee of the college, has prior criminal history.
The college administration faces criticism for hiring him despite this background.
Mishra and the other two suspects, Ahmed and Mukhopadhyay, are reported to have affiliations with the students' faction of the Trinamool Congress.