Kolkata college gang-rape: Police custody of three main accused extended till July 8

Kolkata: The police custody of the three accused in connection with the alleged gang-rape of a first-year student at a law college in Kolkata on Tuesday were extended by eight days till July 8 by a city court.

The three are prime suspect Monojit Mishra, a temporary staffer and an alumnus of South Calcutta Law College where the incident took place on June 25 evening, and two current students – Zaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukherjee.

They were arrested on June 26 and produced before a court the following day, which initially remanded them to four days of police custody.

Upon production at Alipore Court on Tuesday, their police custody was extended till July 8.

A security guard of the college, Pinaki Banerjee, was also arrested on June 28 in connection with the case. His police custody was extended till July 4.

The extension of police custody came following a prayer by the public prosecutor and the investigating officer, who sought more time to question the accused.

According to sources, the defence lawyers of the three – Mishra, Ahmed, and Mukherjee – did not move bail pleas and instead told the court that the accused were fully cooperating with the investigation and are willing to help bring out the truth.

They also urged the court to ensure that no media trial takes place before the charges are proven and requested that the accused not be "victimised" in the process.

The counsel of the security guard pleaded for bail, arguing that his client had no prior criminal record and had not left his place of duty.

The court, however, rejected the plea and extended his police custody as well.