Put union rooms under lock and key: Calcutta HC directs Bengal govt. after Kolkata law college gang rape case

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday (July 3, 2025) directed the West Bengal government to put union rooms in colleges and universities where there is no recognised student body or no election had taken place in the recent past under lock and key.

The direction by a Division Bench presided by Justice Soumen Sen came while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) petition in the wake of the allegations of gang rape made by a student of a law college in Kolkata last week. The survivor of the sexual assault has claimed that she was confined in the union room of the college and the PIL has brought to the notice of the court that no student council is functioning at present in the universities and colleges of the State.

“In view of the said report, we direct the Department of Higher Education, Government of West Bengal, to issue a directive to all the universities and colleges that in the event there is no recognised student body or council or no election had taken place in the recent past having regard to the incident occurred recently in the students’ union room in the respective Colleges and Universities shall be put under lock and key,” said the order by Justice Sen and Justice Smita Das De.

The Court also added that no student shall only be permitted to enter or use the said students’ union or students room except with the written permission of the Registrar of the Universities or any person competent to issue such permission.

The High Court, however, added the union room of South Calcutta Law College (where allegations of sexual assault have been made) should be accessible only by the Investigating Agency until further order. The court also added that the South Calcutta Law College must ensure that the academic intent of the students of the college is not affected and regular functioning of the college resume at the earliest.

Four persons, including a former student leader Monojit Mishra associated with Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad have been arrested in connection with the assault. While three persons have been arrested for gang rape, kidnapping, and wrongful confinement, the police has arrested the security guard of the college.

Hearing another PIL petition filed in connection with the sexual assault of the student, the Bench sought a response from the law college and the State administration on allegations as to how such a crime could occur inside a college campus. The court noted that the counsel for the survivor has submitted that she has been receiving all necessary support from the SIT (Special Investigation Team) set up by Kolkata Police to probe the incident.

The court also cautioned that the identity of the survivor should be preserved and not disclosed under any circumstances and asked the State government to issue an advisory, if required, “to all the media houses and to lodge appropriate complaints if in the social media any such attempt is made to confuse the identity of the victim”.

The Bench also noted that “few girl students of the same college have been shown in various channels and social media which is likely to create an impression that the female shown would be the victim”.