IIM-Calcutta rape case: Accused student granted bail on ₹50,000 bond

Toppannavar, a second-year student, had been arrested by Kolkata Police on the night of July 13 following a complaint filed by a woman alleging that she had been raped on the IIM Calcutta campus

The Alipore Court on Saturday granted bail to Premanand Mahaveer Toppannavar, also known as Parmanand Jain, the student accused in the alleged rape case on the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta campus.

The court allowed bail on a bond of Rs 50,000, citing that the victim had 'not cooperated' in the investigation.

The decision comes after Toppannavar, a second-year student at IIM Calcutta, was remanded to police custody till July 19. He had been arrested by Kolkata Police on the night of July 13 following a complaint filed by a woman alleging that she had been raped on the IIM Calcutta campus.

Earlier, Kolkata Police officials had informed that a nine-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted under the Deputy Commissioner of the South West Division to ensure a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident.

Chief Prosecutor Sourin Ghosal told ANI that during the court proceedings, the defence claimed the sexual act was consensual, while the prosecution argued that prima facie evidence and medical reports supported the complainant's claims.

"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 said. 

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. 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.