Kolkata: The detective department's investigation into the "wider conspiracy" angle has led cops back to the law college. Based on the questioning of security guard Pinaki Banerjee, the cops are also trying to ascertain if there were others who "aided and abetted" the "influence" of chief accused Monojit Mishra.
The police have confiscated general body (GB) meeting details, the minutes of which will help investigators ascertain how Mishra was "appointed" at the college and continued to work there despite facing as many as 11 FIRs against him. "We have also asked for other important documents related to his appointment, including the appointment letter, his salary structure, and his exact role, given that he was earlier banned from entering the college. Our initial probe found that several basic college rules were violated on June 25, the day the crime took place. Several statements from witnesses have confirmed that most violations took place under instructions from Mishra. These documents will shed light on whether he indeed had the influence to issue such orders," an officer said.
Witnesses, including Banerjee, have told cops that Mishra orchestrated the removal of the visitors' register at the college entrance. Banerjee also reportedly claimed that Mishra repeatedly threatened security personnel regarding the maintenance of the visitors' log. Recording of visitors' details was reportedly discontinued under Mishra's direct orders. Mishra regularly brought unauthorized individuals to the campus, hosting gatherings in the students' union room. The removal of the register was allegedly intended to prevent any official record of these visitors, Banerjee has claimed.
The police brought Mishra face to face with the other accused on Thursday. "We want to determine the role of each person in this crime," said a police source. Cops have confirmed they are expanding their probe to identify the unauthorized visitors and determine the nature of these meetings. College authorities have declined to comment on the investigation.
Mishra has now accepted that his associates Pramit Mukherjee and Zaib Ahmed recorded the video on his command, and that the plan was hatched several hours before the crime. "I made the video so that the girl wouldn't reach out to cops," he reportedly confessed.