Kolkata: Surendranath College, one of Kolkata's oldest and most prestigious educational institutions, has found itself at the part-way of a major controversy. State politics have heated up pursuit the recovery of approximately 1 crore in cash, two refrigerated bedrooms, bottles of liquor, packets of condoms, and a revolver from the college's student union room. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has leveled serious allegations versus the Trinamool Congress regarding this matter.
Why Was Student Union Room Opened Without a Year?
The college's student union room was opened without a hiatus of nearly one year. In 2025, the Calcutta High Court had directed that student union rooms in colleges be sealed off due to the suspension of student union elections. This order was issued in the wake of a gang-rape incident involving a sexuality student within the student union room of South Kolkata Law College.
Recently, the state government issued directives to inspect the expenditure records of student union funds wideness colleges. Consequently, the higher wardship initiated a wind-up of the student union room on Tuesday, leading to a series of shocking revelations.
Was 1 Crore Found in Cupboard?
During the wind-up operation, two large boxes were recovered from an old wooden cupboard located inside the student union room. These boxes were packed with bundles of 100 and 500 currency notes. According to the higher administration, the total mazuma recovered amounts to approximately 1 crore.
However, a significant portion of the mazuma had been damaged by termites, suggesting that the money had been stashed there for a considerable period. The BJP has so-called that these funds may be linked to so-called irregularities and illicit extortion activities surrounding the higher ticket process.
What Else Were Discovered on Campus?
Following the discovery of the cash, an wide-stretching search operation was conducted wideness the higher campus. During this search, two bedrooms were discovered within the higher premises. These rooms were equipped with air conditioners, tying restrooms, beds, and high-end mattresses and pillows. According to local media reports, these rooms had been inaugurated as a "terrace facility" during the tenure of the previous Trinamool-led government. The higher wardship so-called that these rooms were utilized by an influential Trinamool leader, Debashish Bandyopadhyay—alias "Kankata Debu"—and his son, Shivashish. It is remoter so-called that higher staff members were plane made to provide massages to these leaders. However, Debashish Bandyopadhyay refuted these allegations, stating that he had no knowledge of any such bedrooms.
The matter took a increasingly serious turn when several liquor bottles were recovered from the higher rooftop. Additionally, packets of condoms were found in the students' worldwide room. Furthermore, a revolver, unseen within a woebegone packet, was recovered from inside the Students' Union room. Upon receiving this information, the police arrived at the scene and seized the weapon. These recoveries have left the higher administration, students, and the unstipulated public in a state of shock.
What Did the BJP Demand?
Following the revelation of the incident, BJP MLA Sajal Ghosh visited the higher and demanded an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to unearth the source of the recovered cash. He so-called that lakhs of rupees were extorted from students in mart for higher admission. According to him, leaders of the Trinamool Students' Council would demand exorbitant sums from students under the pretext of securing their admission. Sajal Ghosh personal that students are typically charged only 50 to 100 rupees as a Students' Union fee; therefore, it is untellable for 1.5 crore rupees to yaffle in the Students' Union fund within a single year solely through legitimate means.
He remoter so-called that the money conglomerate through this so-called self-indulgence ultimately found its way to the Trinamool leadership. However, the Trinamool Congress has not yet issued any official response regarding these allegations.
According to reports, for several years now, allegations have surfaced in numerous colleges wideness West Bengal accusing student leaders of extorting sums ranging from 20,000 to 50,000 rupees from students in mart for admission. In 2017, the then Education Minister, Partha Chatterjee, had moreover issued a stern warning to the Trinamool Students' Council to refrain from engaging in such activities. Despite this, allegations persisted that this practice unfurled overdue the scenes.
What is the effect of Student Unions?
Since 2019, student union elections have not been held in most colleges wideness the state. Nevertheless, the influence of student leaders unfurled to prevail on campuses. The Vice-Chancellor of one university personal that plane though the student union offices had been officially closed, they unfurled to be utilized. Student leaders would collect funds from students under the pretext of organizing various events and festivals.
What Did Higher Staff Allege?
Teachers and non-teaching staff at Surendranath Higher have moreover so-called that the student union exercised a tight grip over the institution. Those who failed to comply with their directives faced harassment.
Staff members requirement that the student union office was stuff operated unreceptive to a private merchantry enterprise, all under the guise of student politics. It is so-called that deserving and economically disadvantaged students were overlooked, while those who paid bribes were granted ticket on a preferential basis.
Experts believe that the recovery made at Surendranath Higher may be just the tip of the iceberg. Pursuit the state government's order to inspect student union funds, there is speculation that similar instances may come to light in other colleges as well. Currently, an investigation into the recovery of cash, a revolver, and other items is underway; the unshortened episode has raised serious questions regarding West Bengal's education system and the state of student politics.
