Why Are Only Initials Used for Kolkata Rape Accused? Controversy Erupts!

Controversy Over FIR in Kolkata Rape Case

Kolkata: A significant debate has emerged regarding the use of only initials for the three individuals accused of raping a law student in Kolkata, as opposed to their full names in the FIR.

The accused, identified as Monojit Mishra, Jaib Ahmed, and Pramit Mukhopadhyay, are reportedly associated with the Trinamool Congress' student organization, Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP).

In the FIR, however, they are referred to simply as 'M', 'J', and 'P'.

Opposition leaders have suggested that the police's choice to use initials was a tactic to obscure the political affiliations of the accused, while legal experts argue that there was no justification for omitting their full names.

Firdous Samim, a senior lawyer at the Calcutta High Court, elaborated on the legal expectations in such situations.

"If the victim identified the accused in her statement, there was no valid reason for the police to use initials instead of their full names. It seems unlikely that the victim would not have named them, given her familiarity with the accused," Samim stated.

"Moreover, the police should have been able to identify the suspects during their initial investigation, making the use of initials ethically questionable," he added.

CPI(M) leader Shatarup Ghosh echoed these sentiments, asserting that the police's decision to use initials was intentional.

"The full names of the accused should have been included in the FIR along with other pertinent details," Ghosh remarked.

BJP leader Sajal Ghosh, a councillor in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, also criticized the use of initials, suggesting it was an attempt to conceal the political connections of the accused.

In related developments, a delegation from the National Commission for Women (NCW), led by member Archana Majumdar, visited the law college to assess the situation.

Majumdar is expected to meet with the victim later today.

Additionally, Sukanta Majumdar, the BJP's state president in West Bengal and a Union Minister of State, was released from police custody after being arrested for protesting the incident.

"We were kept waiting at the police headquarters all night. The authorities wanted us to sign a bail bond, but we insisted on being presented in court instead. This morning, they allowed us to leave without signing anything," Sukanta Majumdar explained.