Kolkata ‘rape’ case: Now police say offence ‘must have occurred’

The alleged rape of an Anglo-Indian woman took another curious turn Friday with the police, who had earlier found “discrepancies” in her statement, conceding that an offence must have occurred, though the West Bengal government with a woman as chief minister maintains it is a cooked up case.

Kolkata police had Thursday maintained there were “certain technical discrepancies” in the case and termed it as an attempt to malign the police and the government, which was reiterated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and one of her ministers.

However, on Friday the police sang a different tune.

“Her (victim’s) version was more or less same (what she had alleged in the complaint). Something must have occurred in the early hours of Feb 6 and police are thoroughly investigating all aspects,” Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Damayanti Sen said.

The police had Thursday night taken the victim to the places she mentioned in her complaint and tried to recreate the alleged rape incident which occurred in the early hours of Feb 6 .

Sen said the victim’s medical tests conducted Feb 14 at a city hospital mentioned “diffused bruises” on shoulders, neck and knee. The police official, however, maintained that they are inconclusive to prove any sexual assault.

The 37-year-old victim, a mother of two and a former call centre employee has alleged that she was raped on the night of Feb 5 in a moving car. She was also severely beaten. She filed a police complaint Feb 9 while her medical examination was conducted Feb 14.

A car similar to the description given in the complaint was seized by the police and sent for forensic examination.

The police are also looking into allegations by the woman that she has been getting threat calls.

As per police reports, three of the accused named in the complaint have been found not to be present at the place of the alleged offence on that day.

The state government has cast doubts on the morality of the woman.

While the chief minister has claimed the entire story was cooked up, Transport Minister Madan Mitra Thursday wondered “what the woman – a mother of two and separated from her husband – was doing at a night club late in the night?”

On Friday too, a spokesperson of Writers’ Buildings which houses the state secretariat is said to have asked if the ‘victim’ was involved in an escort service.

In a programme aired on a Bengali news channel, the anchor posed the question to the woman, which he said came from the spokesperson.

“I am not into any escort service. Even if I assume that I am, does it mean that I should be raped?” was the woman’s reply.