iim-calcutta-rape-probe-stalls-as-victim-declines-to-cooperate

The investigation into an alleged rape at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta hostel has hit a roadblock, with police citing the complainant’s refusal to comply with investigative procedures as a significant impediment to progress.

 

According to senior officers at Thakurpukur police station, the complainant has declined to undergo a medical examination and refused to hand over the clothes she wore during the alleged incident, both considered essential to forensic corroboration in sexual assault cases.

 

The incident reportedly took place on Friday night when an outsider woman, claiming to be a psychologist, alleged she was raped inside the IIM Calcutta hostel by a second-year student from Karnataka. The accused was arrested on the same night after the complaint was lodged and was presented before the Alipore court on Saturday, where he was remanded to seven days in police custody.

 

Police sources said the woman had stated that she had been invited to the hostel by the accused for a counselling session. She claimed she was not asked to sign the hostel visitor register and was offered pizza and a cold drink, which she suspects may have been laced with a sedative. She alleged she lost consciousness and, upon regaining it, realised she had been sexually assaulted.

Also read: ‘She wasn’t raped’: Father counters daughter’s IIM-C rape charge

 

However, officers investigating the case now face growing challenges. The woman has reportedly refused to share the password to her mobile phone, which was seized as part of the investigation. "Her non-cooperation is creating a major obstacle in building a clear and fair investigation," a police officer said.

 

Compounding the complications, the complainant’s father has contradicted her claims. Speaking to the media, he said, "No rape occurred." He further alleged that the written complaint submitted to police was not prepared by his daughter and that she had been coerced into signing it. He has described the case as a “conspiracy” to malign the image of a premier central educational institution.

 

The conflicting accounts and the absence of key forensic and digital evidence have put investigators in a difficult position. While the case involves serious allegations, the refusal to follow legal procedures has led the police to question the viability of further proceedings without substantiating proof.