MALDA, West Bengal – In a significant verdict, a special court in Malda, West Bengal, has sentenced Rafiqul Islam, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and retired teacher, to life imprisonment for raping a nine-year-old girl. This conviction marks the first case related to the post-2021 election violence in West Bengal to conclude with a conviction and sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Widespread violence had erupted across West Bengal following the announcement of the results of the 2021 Assembly elections. Besides murders and looting, several girls and women were subjected to sexual assault. A total of 61 murder cases were registered during this period. Subsequently, the Calcutta High Court handed over all these cases to the CBI for investigation.
Rafiqul Islam, a retired government school teacher who was also a TMC leader, received the life sentence. The CBI’s charge sheet included the crucial eyewitness testimonies of the victim girl and her 10-year-old friend, which played a pivotal role in the conviction.
A CBI spokesperson confirmed in a statement that the Additional District and Sessions Judge found Rafiqul Islam guilty under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Section 376AB of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), sentencing him to life imprisonment.
The court also imposed a fine of ₹50,000 on the convict and directed the state government to provide a compensation of ₹3 lakh to the survivor. “This is the first case related to the post-election violence which has seen the completion of trial and resulted in a conviction and sentencing,” the CBI spokesperson stated.
The verdict underscores the ongoing legal process related to the volatile period immediately following the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections. The Calcutta High Court’s decision to hand over these sensitive cases to the CBI was a contentious issue at the time, with the ruling TMC government initially challenging the move. This conviction is a significant step in addressing the numerous allegations of violence from that period.
