Kolkata law college gang rape: 2nd guard was on campus when accused took over their room; all 4 arrested brought face to face for grilling
Times of India | 6 July 2025
This action follows inconsistencies in statements and the collection of evidence, including a drug store bill and CCTV footage confirming an accused's purchase of an inhaler for the survivor. KOLKATA: Detective department officers probing the law college gang rape have detained a second security guard who was on duty till at least 8.25 pm on the day of the crime. He is being questioned and his mobile phone has been seized for analysis. This security guard left the campus around the time one of the accused, Zaib Ahmed, stepped out to buy an inhaler for the survivor who was in respiratory distress following a panic attack after being forcibly taken into the guards' room. Investigation has revealed, Zaib bought the inhaler from a drug store located opposite the college at 8.29pm. A bill with his name and CCTV footage has been collected from the store. The survivor has said in her complaint that she was provided the inhaler as she was feeling breathless, and then raped.
Pinaki Banerjee, the arrested security guard, has also told cops that prime accused Monojit Mishra had sought him out around 8.20pm and asked him to send Pramit Mukherjee to him immediately, and he appeared anxious.
The investigators are exa-mining possible communications between the two security guards and the three accused. Police are particularly interested in the morning guard's interactions and mov-ements between 4pm and 8.25pm on the day of the incident. "We asked the morning security guard to come to Lalbazar where he is being questioned. Some other witnesses will also be questioned in this regard," said a police source.
All 4 arrested brought face to face for grilling The only permanent security guard at the college, Barun Mahali, had told police that he was absent on June 25. College teachers have told cops that Mahali is on duty from 9 am to 2 pm. Of the two contractual private security guards including Banerjee, one is on duty from 8 am to 8 pm, and the other from 8 pm to 8 am. Both were hired four years ago.
Police on Saturday brought all four accused - Monojit, Zaib, Pramit and Pinkai Banerjee - together for face-to-face interrogation. "We want all four to be questioned together so that we can ascertain whether any other person was involved in the crime. There are several mismatches between their claims. We are trying to corroborate their statements with available evidence," an officer said. Cops are also investigating if the security guard was put under watch by Monojit and his cronies after the crime. The investigators said they have also expanded the list of people whose statements are being recorded. "We have recorded statements of 18 individuals so far and gathered substantial evidence from the phones of the accused," one officer said. (The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)