Kolkata Police form SIT to probe alleged rape on IIM Calcutta campus, accused remanded till July 19

A nine-member SIT has been formed by Kolkata Police to investigate the alleged rape of a woman on the IIM Calcutta campus. The accused, Mahaveer Toppannavar, is in police custody until July 19, while his mother claims his innocence.

Kolkata Police have formed a nine-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged rape of a woman on the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta campus, officials said on Sunday.  The SIT has been constituted under the Deputy Commissioner of the South West Division to ensure a thorough investigation into the case.  

A day earlier, the Alipore court remanded Mahaveer Toppannavar, also known as Parmanand Jain, to police custody till July 19 in connection with the alleged rape case.  

Speaking to ANI, Kolkata Police Chief Prosecutor Sourin Ghosal informed reporters that the defence had moved a bail plea, claiming the act was consensual. "We asked for police custody, and the accused asked for bail. They argued that it was consensual. We argued that no, the prima facie investigation shows that a crime was committed, and the medical evidence supports the victim. The court granted police custody till July 19," Ghosal told ANI. 

Meanwhile, the mother of the accused student, Mahaveer Toppannavar alias Parmanand Jain, said the family was stunned by the development and had no knowledge of the reason behind his detention. She asserted that her son, a final-year student at the prestigious institute, was innocent and incapable of committing such an act.  

Her comments came after Kolkata Police arrested Toppannavar on Friday night, following a complaint filed by a woman who alleged that she had been raped on the IIM Calcutta campus.  

Speaking to ANI, Mother of Mahaveer Toppannavar alias Parmanand Jain said, “We recieved a call from his friend around 11 in the night. He told us that my son has been detained and he doesn't know the reason... We have no clue why our son has been arrested... We want to meet our son and talk to him.” 

"He was in the final year of his college... We do not know anything here in Kolkata. Where the Police Station is or the Court. My son is innocent. He has come so far to study. He will never do such a dirty thing," she told ANI.