Law student rape: Calcutta HC orders to lock students’ union rooms in colleges, universities across West Bengal
The Calcutta High Court also made it clear that its order to use students' union room under special circumstances with written permission will not be applicable at the students' union room at South Calcutta Law College, which has been sealed for investigation purposes.
Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday (July 3) directed the state government of West Bengal to lock the students’ union rooms in colleges and universities across the state till fresh student elections are held.
A bench comprising Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Smita Das De ordered this while hearing a batch of Public Interest Litigations filed in the wake of the alleged gang rape of a first-year law student on June 25 inside the premises of South Calcutta Law College, including students’ union room.
Written permission required to use students’ union room under special circumstances: High Court
The High Court prohibited all forms of recreational activities inside students’ union rooms and said that these rooms can be used for official purposes if urgently required and a written permission from the registrar of the university or the principal of the institution concerned would be required for using it.
The bench also made it clear that its order to use students’ union room under special circumstances with written permission will not be applicable at the students’ union room at South Calcutta Law College, which has been sealed for investigation purposes.
The bench also directed the West Bengal government to file an affidavit on its plans to hold the pending student elections.
Law student was gang-raped in premises of college on June 25
The first-year law student was tortured and later gang raped in security guard room of the college allegedly by an alumnus - Monojit Mishra - and two seniors - Zaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukherjee for over three hours in the evening of June 25. It has been alleged that while Mishra, who is stated to be associated with the youth wing of the ruling Trinamool Congress, raped the law student, two other seniors made videos to blackmail her. Besides them, the police has also arrested the security guard of the college.
High Court also sought a detailed affidavit from state government on investigation
In a related development, the High Court has also sought answers of various questions related to the case from the state government and college and has directed the state government to file an affidavit giving details of the investigation into the case.