Kolkata gang rape horror: Father of prime accused says if guilty, he must face toughest punishment

Kolkata: Two days after Monojit Mishra, the prime accused in the alleged gang-rape of a 24-year-old student inside South Calcutta Law College, was arrested, his father—a priest from Kalighat—spoke publicly for the first time, voicing sorrow and acceptance of justice, even if it comes at the cost of his son.

Speaking to The Indian Express over the phone, the father, whose name is withheld on request, said, “We stay in a 6 x 8 ft room. We worked so hard and rose from the lower strata of society to make him a lawyer. It is hard to believe that my son has done it. But if the judiciary, after seeing all the evidence, finds him to be guilty, he should be given the toughest punishment. I will accept it with my head bowed.”

Mishra, 31, a former leader of the Trinamool Congress’s student wing at the college, was arrested along with three others in connection with the alleged gang-rape, which has triggered widespread outrage and renewed scrutiny of political influence in educational institutions. The TMC has stated that Mishra no longer holds any formal association with the party.

Despite being his son, the father made it clear he would not fight a legal battle on Mishra’s behalf. “I cannot afford it,” he admitted. “As a father, one’s duty is to do everything to see his son become something. Then this happens.”

Revealing a strained relationship, the father said he and Mishra have been estranged for over five years. “We have not had any communication… He is so busy,” he noted, adding that while Mishra occasionally collected ATM cards and mail from the house, there was no real contact.

Reflecting on Mishra’s campus life, the father acknowledged his son’s popularity: “He loved being called ‘Dada Dada’ in college. He liked it when students ran behind him, and enjoyed felicitations. I always wanted him to be a big lawyer. Now see what happened.”

As the investigation continues, all four accused remain in police custody. The incident has sparked strong condemnation across political and public circles, reigniting debates over campus safety and the role of student politics.