Did Investigators Find Security Lapse Allegations in the IIM-C Rape Case to be Unfounded?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Initial security lapse allegations at IIM-C debunked.
- Accused complied with security protocols.
- Victim's non-cooperation raises questions.
- Conflicting family statements add confusion.
- Ongoing investigation emphasizes the need for clarity.
Kolkata, July 17 (NationPress) As the investigation unfolds regarding the alleged rape of an outsider woman on the premises of the prestigious Indian Institute of Management - Calcutta (IIM-C) located in Joka, on the southern outskirts of Kolkata, initial claims suggesting security failures by the institute are proving to be unfounded.
According to sources within the city police, initial details emerged from the victim’s statement recorded at the local Haridevpur Police station. She indicated that she managed to access the room of the accused at the boys’ hostel by circumventing regulations pertaining to visitor entries, which included gaining access to the campus and reaching the boys' hostel.
Nevertheless, investigations thus far, along with documents provided by the institute, have shown that the claims regarding bypassing visitor registration protocols are entirely false.
Additionally, the accused, Parmanand Mahaveer Toppannavar (also known as Parmanand Jain), a second-year student at the institute, had previously notified the IIM-C authorities via email about the victim’s scheduled visit, adhering to the institute’s security protocols.
Currently, the accused is in police custody and is set to appear before the trial court again on Saturday. Confusion surrounding the case has escalated due to the victim and her family's lack of cooperation during the investigation process.
Initially, the victim did not comply with the city police's repeated requests for her to undergo a necessary medico-legal examination. Furthermore, she failed to appear at the trial court earlier this week to provide her confidential statement before a judicial magistrate.
Moreover, she has yet to submit the clothing she wore during the alleged incident that reportedly took place in the boys' hostel on the evening of July 11.
Compounding the situation, conflicting statements from the victim and her father have added to the confusion, with her father maintaining from the outset that nothing untoward had occurred.
The victim’s father reiterated his stance even as a trial court on July 12 ordered the police to keep the sole accused, Parmanand Mahaveer Toppannavar, in custody until July 19.