Scratches found on Kolkata rape prime accused imply woman fought back: Cops

Scratch marks were discovered on the body of Manojit Mishra, the main suspect in the South Calcutta Law College gangrape case, indicating signs of struggle from the survivor during the attack, according to a police source. The source indicates that the marks were discovered during a medical-legal assessment carried out on Sunday.

Authorities, citing medical professionals who assessed the suspect, stated that updates from the investigation into the offense uncovered trace evidence of scratch marks on Mishra’s body. The injuries, characterized as scratches, were allegedly sustained during the crime, indicating that the victim resisted while being attacked within the college grounds. Authorities mentioned that the scratches, likely produced by nails, align with the survivor’s account of the incident. The purported attack occurred on the night of June 25 in a space utilized by the college security officer.

On Tuesday, a city court prolonged the police detention of the three primary defendants – Manojit Mishra, a former student and a leader of the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad; along with current students Zaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukherjee – for an additional eight days, lasting until July 8. The trio was taken into custody on June 26 and was initially held for four days in police detention.

Pinaki Banerjee, the college security guard and the fourth suspect in the case, was apprehended on Saturday and placed in police custody until July 2. His detention was extended until July 4 after the court denied his bail application, even though his attorney argued that he had no previous criminal history and was on duty during the event. As the inquiry deepened, officials at South Calcutta Law College took disciplinary measures by terminating Mishra’s temporary position and expelling the two student co-defendants.

Mishra’s role at the institution stemmed from a previous suggestion by the governing body, which met on Tuesday to finalize these choices. The college also chose to suggest that Mishra’s bar council membership be revoked, since he is identified as a practising criminal lawyer at the Alipore Police and Sessions Court on his social media profiles.

Within the courtroom, the defense chose not to request bail for the three main accused but urged the judge to guarantee that media coverage does not bias the trial. In the meantime, the investigating officer and public prosecutor sought a custody extension to continue interrogating the accused, and the court approved it.

The Kolkata Police have discovered new leads in the course of the investigation. A nine-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) examined the call detail records (CDRs) of the suspect and discovered that Manojit Mishra had spoken on the phone with the college’s Vice Principal, Dr Nayna Chatterji, the morning after the incident. The Vice Principal has been questioned by the police twice to clarify the nature of that conversation.

Authorities also obtained CCTV footage from a nearby pharmacy, which captured Zaib Ahmed buying an inhaler for the victim while the alleged torture was occurring. The pharmacy owner informed the police that Zaib initially suggested dividing the payment between cash and UPI but ultimately paid the full amount online when the shopkeeper denied the partial payment.

This aligns with the survivor’s prior claim that she was refused hospital treatment and was only provided an inhaler after seeking assistance for difficulty breathing. Digital evidence such as CCTV videos, mobile information, and call logs is now being verified alongside medico-legal documents and the survivor’s account. Police sources verified that all this evidence aligns with the survivor’s description of the incident.

At the Alipore court complex, the defendants were presented to the judge through virtual means to prevent clashes with demonstrators. Members of the BJP’s legal team from the Alipore Court Lawyers’ Union also presented a memo asking that no lawyer defend the accused in court. The authorities have emphasized that the investigation is ongoing, with additional inquiries of the suspect and witnesses anticipated in the days ahead.