West Bengal Bar Council strips Kolkata rape accused Manojit Mishra of lawyer licence

Law students and junior lawyers shout slogans as they protest outside the South Calcutta Law College in Kolkata against the gang-rape of a student at this college. (Photo by AFP)

The West Bengal Bar Council has cancelled the lawyer licence of Monojit Mishra, the prime accused in the Kolkata law college rape case, an India Today report said on Thursday.

The development comes a day after the South Calcutta Law College terminated the services of Mishra and the other two accused in the case. The India Today report said that the decision by the Bar Council came a week after a formal complaint was received regarding the alleged rape of a 24-year-old law student at the college and Mishra’s role in the heinous crime.

The report further said that a meeting of the Bengal Bar Council was held on Wednesday, where the decision regarding Mishra’s lawyer licence was taken.

With the lawyer licence cancelled, Mishra will not be able to represent any client in any of the courts across West Bengal.

Meanwhile, the law college also held a meeting to terminate Mishra’s services and expel the co-accused.

Mishra, along with co-accused Pramit Mukherjee and Zaib Ahmed, both students of the law college, were arrested after the incident came to light. At present, they are in police custody.

Mishra is accused of allegedly raping a first-year law student inside the college premises on June 25.