IIM-Calcutta Rape Case: Student Admits to Drugging Woman

A second-year IIM-Calcutta student, accused of raping a woman in the institute’s boys’ hostel, has confessed to purchasing sleeping pills from a local pharmacy and spiking cold drinks and water offered to the victim, a senior police officer revealed on Monday. The incident, which occurred on Friday at the Joka campus, led to the arrest of the accused, Mahaveer Toppannavar alias Parmanand Jain, on Saturday following an FIR filed at Haridevpur Police Station.

The officer noted discrepancies in the accused’s statements, particularly his failure to explain the intent behind drugging the woman, who had visited for a supposed counseling session. “He admitted to spiking the drinks but couldn’t clarify his motive,” the officer said. Circumstantial evidence indicates the woman consumed the spiked drink, lost consciousness, and was assaulted in a hostel room. Post-crime, the accused reportedly called a friend to confess while loitering outside the crime scene.

The survivor’s claim of being a psychologist is under scrutiny, as she has not provided documentation verifying her qualifications or practice. “We’re investigating her credentials and any prescriptions bearing her name,” the officer added. Additionally, police are probing the contradictory statement from the woman’s father, who denied the assault, claiming she fell from an auto-rickshaw and was hospitalized. Authorities are examining whether the family faced pressure or financial inducements to alter their narrative.

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A nine-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by an Assistant Commissioner from the South West Division, has been formed to investigate. The SIT is focusing on the accused’s actions, security lapses allowing the woman’s unregistered entry into the hostel, and the conflicting accounts. The accused, charged under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections for rape and administering drugs, remains in custody until July 19, as ordered by a Kolkata court.

This case, following recent assaults at other Kolkata institutes, has intensified concerns about campus safety. IIM-Calcutta’s administration has pledged full cooperation with the police, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy for such incidents.

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