Kolkata Gangrape Case: SIT Expanded To 9 Members | India News

Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Kolkata gangrape case has been expanded from 5 to 8, police said on Sunday.

“The number of SIT members of the Kolkata police increased to 9. Yesterday, a 5-member SIT was formed under the supervision of ACP Pradip Kumar Ghosal, SSD, to investigate the alleged gangrape incident at South Calcutta Law College in Kolkata on 25th June evening,” ANI reported, quoting Kolkata Police.

The incident that comes 10 months after the RG Kar hospital rape and murder case has triggered a political row in West Bengal. Congress and the BJP earlier in the day held separate protests over the incident. 

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched an all-out attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal over the alleged gangrape incident, with the party demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee.

BJP leader Gaurav Vallabh attacked the TMC government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and said that the government which fails to protect its women should be dismissed.

BJP leader Gourav Vallabh told ANI, “I strongly demand that a government that fails to protect its women must be dismissed. It is disgraceful to see MPs standing with the accused, claiming it was a matter of friendship or asking ‘what should we do.’ Such behaviour from TMC leaders, who are trying to shield the accused, is shameful… Mamata Banerjee should resign immediately.”

Vallabh also questioned the relationship between the gangrape accused and the TMC.

“What is the relationship between the gang rape accused and the TMC? Why do accused often emerge as members of the TMC party? In this case, the accused is also found to be a member of TMC. All of this is happening when the West Bengal Chief Minister is a woman… I believe Bengal has now become synonymous with anarchy, corruption, and nepotism,”  he said. 

Police have arrested three people identified as Manojit Mishra, Zaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukhopadhyay for their alleged involvement in the Kolkata Law College gangrape case. The accused have been remanded to police custody till July 1.

Additionally, police are also investigating the Guard of the Law College, Pinaki Banerjee’s role in the alleged offence.

Kolkata Police Chief Prosecutor Sourin Ghosal told ANI, “We are investigating his (Guard of the Law College, Pinaki Banerjee) role in the alleged offence…The court has granted his police custody till July 1.”

The BJP has set up a four-member fact-finding committee to investigate the case. BJP MP Sambit Patra announced while addressing a press conference in the National Capital on Saturday.

“BJP President JP Nadda has formed a committee, and that committee will visit the spot and investigate. Its members are former Union Ministers Satpal Singh, Meenakshi Lekhi and MPs Biplab Deb and Manan Mishra. This committee will soon visit the spot and submit its report to the National President,” he said.

Patra demanded that Mamata Banerjee apologise and resign as the Chief Minister. “We are not asking for clarification from Mamata Banerjee. We are asking her to apologise and resign,” Patra said.

Union Minister and West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar was detained on Saturday while protesting against the gangrape incident at South Calcutta Law College in Kolkata.

The party organised the protest at Gariahat Crossing in Kolkata. Waiving the BJP flags, they attempted to climb over the barricades guarded by police personnel. 

The first-year student of  South Calcutta Law College was allegedly raped on June 25 inside the college premises.

(With ANI inputs)