Monojit Mishra, a key accused in the Kolkata Law College rape case, was appointed as a temporary staff member at the same college where the incident allegedly occurred. This appointment was made despite serious concerns over his criminal background.
Appointment Ignored Governing Rules
Sources from the college revealed that the decision to hire Mishra, a former student of the college, did not follow the rules. Out of eight members in the governing body, only four supported the move. However, college policy requires a two-thirds majority for temporary appointments, which was not met.
Some members strongly opposed Mishra’s hiring, citing past records of violent behaviour, sexual harassment, and creating trouble on campus. Despite this, his selection was approved—allegedly due to pressure from an influential governing body member, referred to by Mishra as “uncle”.
College Cancels Appointment After Public Backlash
Following public outrage and legal developments, the college has now cancelled Mishra’s temporary contract. Authorities have also asked him to return all the money he earned during his time in the role. In addition, two more current accused from the same college, Jaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukhopadhyay, have been expelled from the institution.
Opposition Demands Accountability
Political leaders, especially from the opposition, have raised serious questions about how Mishra was hired in the first place. BJP’s IT Cell head, Amit Malviya, issued a statement demanding full accountability from the college’s governing body. He criticised the vice-principal Nayna Chatterji and the institution's president, Ashok Kumar Deb (a Trinamool Congress MLA), for allegedly allowing Mishra to remain protected and safe within the system.
