Two women came forward on Saturday, 4 July outside a Kolkata court to allege rape and torture by former All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Saokat Molla and his associates, adding fresh sexual assault allegations against a politician already in judicial custody in connection with a bomb blast case. The women said the alleged incidents occurred years ago in South 24 Parganas district but could not be reported at the time due to fear of reprisal.

First Victim's Account

The first woman alleged she was raped repeatedly over the course of one year beginning March 2019 after Molla and his associates allegedly kidnapped her son and held him for a year in the Jibantala area of South 24 Parganas. She alleged her child was used as coercion to force her compliance.

Speaking outside the court, the woman said: 'The incident happened in March 2019. Saokat Molla kidnapped my son. My son was kept in detention for a year. And for a year, I was continuously tortured. I only went to him for my son. Whenever he wanted, he would send a car. I had to go. Then he would rape me. This continued for a year.'

She further alleged that when she approached local administration for help, officials warned her against filing a complaint. 'The administrative officials said that I will be killed if I complained,' she said. The woman also alleged she continues to be under surveillance and threatened by Molla's associates even now.

Second Victim's Account

The second woman, identified as a local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit secretary at the time of the alleged incident, said she was stripped and tortured on 7 November 2015. She alleged the attack was targeted because she ran a small school and was protecting young girls in her community.

'It was November 7, 2015. On that day, I was stripped naked. The brutal torture they inflicted on me is beyond words. I was the BJP secretary at that time. I ran a small school. I protected the honour of the little girls. That was my crime,' she said.

Why Complaints Were Not Filed Earlier

The victims' lawyer stated that lodging a formal complaint against Molla was effectively impossible during his years of political influence. 'Those days, their misdeeds had to be accepted. They would keep a list — on which day, which woman was needed. They would send a car there on a specific day. They had to go. Even school teachers were not left out,' the lawyer said, according to reports.

The lawyer added that the women have now decided to formally file complaints, emboldened by Molla's current custody status.

Background: Molla's Judicial Custody

Former TMC MLA Saokat Molla is currently in judicial custody in connection with a separate bomb blast case in West Bengal. His arrest has reportedly encouraged victims who previously feared retribution to come forward. This is not the first time allegations of political intimidation and criminal conduct have been levelled at local strongmen in South 24 Parganas, a district with a documented history of political violence.

With formal complaints now reportedly being lodged, the case is likely to draw further scrutiny of the law-and-order situation in Bengal and the protection — or lack thereof — afforded to victims who allege crimes by those in positions of political power.