Kolkata rape accused admitted to college despite 'dismal' rank: BJP
What's the story
Amit Malviya, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) IT Cell chief, has raised questions over the admission of one of the accused in the South Calcutta Law College rape case. Malviya alleged that Zaib Ahmed was given admission despite a low rank of 2,634 in the Calcutta University Law Entrance Test (CULET-UG 2024). He demanded answers from authorities and criticized West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's government for allegedly protecting criminals with political connections.
Arrest details
Ahmed and 2 others arrested for allegedly raping student
Ahmed, along with two others—Manojit Mishra and Pramit Mukherjee—has been arrested in connection with the case. The trio is accused of raping and assaulting a 24-year-old law student on June 25. The incident took place in the security guard's room after Mishra allegedly forced the victim into the room after she rejected his marriage proposal. Ahmed and Mukherjee are accused of filming the crime while a security guard was stationed outside at Mishra's orders.
Past crimes
Prime accused has history of offenses
Mishra, the prime accused, has a history of offenses including attempt to murder, sexual assault, and extortion. His criminal record dates back to 2013, when he allegedly stabbed a fellow student at the same college. Over the years, multiple complaints were filed against him for various offenses, including ragging, sexual harassment, vandalizing CCTV cameras, and threatening teachers—yet little action was taken.
Campus influence
Mishra got job at college on recommendation of general body
Despite his criminal record, Mishra managed to get a job as temporary staff at South Calcutta Law College on the recommendation of the college's general body, headed by Trinamool Congress MLA Ashok Deb. Even after being expelled from TMC's student wing in 2021, he continued to wield influence on campus. This has led many to allege that political patronage is shielding him from facing the consequences for his actions.
Political fallout
Why was someone with such criminal record not prosecuted?
The BJP has accused the West Bengal government and Kolkata Police of "nurturing a monster" by not taking action against Mishra earlier. They demanded to know why someone with such a criminal record was never effectively prosecuted. "Who gave Zaib Ahmed a seat in this prestigious law college? Who is protecting him? We demand answers. And we demand them NOW," Malviya wrote. The party alleges the system looked the other way or walked alongside him.
Twitter Post
Malviya's post on X
Zaib Ahmed, one of the accused in the South Calcutta Law College Rape Case, was admitted to the same college—South Kolkata Law College under Calcutta University—despite securing a dismal 2634 rank in CULET-UG 2024!
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) June 30, 2025
Meanwhile, meritorious and law-abiding students with far better… pic.twitter.com/eqCPJINYDd