Monojit Mishra, the main accused in the alleged gang-rape of the South Calcutta Law College student, is a former unit president of the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) at the college but, according to teachers and students, continues to wield considerable influence on campus despite graduating four years ago.
Speaking to college officials and both current and former students revealed a pattern of allegations pointing to Mishra’s unchecked influence — from an alleged admissions racket to continued control over union affairs even after he was no longer a student.
On Friday, the college’s vice-principal, Nayna Chatterji, confirmed that Mishra, 31, passed out four years ago. “We appointed him as a casual staff member upon recommendation from the college’s governing body,” she said. Asked about his role, Chatterji said, “He does paperwork.”
Mishra was appointed as a “casual employee” six months ago, college sources said.
Ashok Deb, Trinamool MLA from Budge Budge, is the president of the college’s governing body. Calls and messages to Deb went unanswered on Friday.
College officials said Mishra is a practising lawyer at Alipore Court. Police said he is a resident of the Kalighat area. He was arrested in Kasba’s Talbagan on Thursday evening.
Mishra’s Facebook profile describes him as “Former president of South Calcutta Law College TMCP Unit”. He has been photographed with several Trinamool leaders, including state TMCP president Trinankur Bhattacharjee.
College teachers, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged Mishra ran an illegal admission racket for the LLB programme in collusion with college authorities.
“Seats left vacant after the first round of counselling would be filled illegally in exchange for money. The college authorities wouldn’t call candidates from the waitlist. Mishra would bring in candidates who were admitted to the vacant seats illegally,” said a college employee.
Vice-principal Chatterji denied the charges. “We have never allowed any illegal admission in our college. You can check with the university.”
A student, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Mishra introduced himself to law students as a practising criminal lawyer, and no one questioned his authority. “Monojit da managed the daily affairs of the college union. He decided how events like the fest and the freshers’ welcome would be organised. We never challenged his authority,” the student said.
A graffiti on campus reads: “MONOJIT DADA IS IN OUR HEARTS (TEAM MM).”
Asked why a former student’s name was on a college wall, vice-principal Chatterji said: “If the students write his name on the wall, what can we do? I tried to whitewash it but couldn’t due to lack of funds.”
Calcutta University’s officiating vice-chancellor, Santa Datta Dey, told The Telegraph she was surprised the college’s union room was open, as student elections haven’t been held in the past eight years.
“I recently had union rooms shut across campuses because elections haven’t been held. I don’t know how the college allowed the room to stay open. The university will send an inspection team to the law college on Tuesday and seek a report from the vice-principal. I’m surprised the college’s governing body has no university representative,” Dey said.
Ragging complaint
This is not the first time the college has been accused of failing to control the students’ union.
In December 2022, Debjit Halder, a first-year student, alleged that his seniors “threatened and bullied him”, said an officer of Kasba police station.
When he visited campus with his father and brother to complain, the three were allegedly assaulted by a group of students and some outsiders.
Debjit lodged a complaint with the UGC’s anti-ragging helpline. He later quit the college, alleging that the authorities failed to act against the accused students.
Debjit’s father told The Telegraph on Friday: “We had heard of Monojit Mishra then. If the college had taken action against the union-affiliated seniors who ragged my son, it would have set a precedent. Since nothing was done, students now act with such impunity that they don’t hesitate to rape a student.”