Kolkata law student rape case: Campus 'rapist' had eyes on survivor from Day 1

KOLKATA: The campus gang rape of a 24-year-old Kolkata law student last week had been a crime in the making since prime suspect Monojit Mishra , who allegedly "set eyes on her" the day she enrolled for the course, decided to "teach her a lesson" for repeatedly rebuffing his advances, co-accused Zaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukherjee told police.

Investigators quoted the arrested duo as saying that Monojit, a former Trinamool Chhatra Parishad office-bearer whose clout on campus allegedly extended to admissions, would obsess over the survivor in conversations with his inner circle and hatch plans to make her his girlfriend. He even offered her the post of the college union's general secretary - supposedly his "final bait" - before planning the alleged assault inside the campus security guard's room on June 25 with law students Zaib and Pramit.

"Zaib and Pramit said that at least two days before the crime, Monojit informed them that the survivor would be on campus to submit an exam form. They were instructed to keep her there until evening," a source said.

After the crime, Monojit allegedly asked some of his trusted aides to be on campus and keep an eye on any unusual activity at Kasba police station, about a kilometre away, through the night. He, Zaib and Pramit left around the same time as the survivor, who was picked up by her father.

Investigators have also found out that Monojit, a temporary non-teaching staff member, called a college official the next morning. The official claimed the discussion was "confined to college-related matters". Pramit contacted a lawyer that day, police said. He and Zaib also called several college seniors, some with political links, pleading for help. They refused, telling the duo to "face the consequences", sources said.

Monojit told police that he was "confident" the survivor wouldn't report the crime, thinking the video of the sexual assault would act as a deterrent. "He had been roaming free despite police filing chargesheets in each of the 11 FIRs filed against him since 2013 and was confident he would get away this time as well," a source said.

Investigators said Monojit allegedly also intended to abuse his target a second time a few days after the crime by blackmailing her with a video of the sexual assault on campus , which Zaib and Pramit recorded on a mobile phone. "We urge other women who may have faced similar harassment and molestation to step forward and lodge complaints," a police officer said.

All 17 students who were on campus on June 25 are being questioned as part of the probe into what might be a larger conspiracy behind the gang rape.