Kolkata: Paramanand Toppannawar, the 26-year-old MBA student at a premier B-school in Kolkata, was granted bail on Saturday in an alleged rape case. He is set to return to campus and resume his studies this week but will not stay in the institute hostel from now on.“He has missed more than a week’s classes and is eager to resume studies at the earliest. However, the hostel room allotted to him is still sealed for investigation, and he doesn’t want to stay on the institute premises. He is likely to stay in rented accommodation near the institute and one of his parents is likely to stay with him,” said Kanishk Ravindran, the youth’s counsel.Institute officials said since the court granted him bail and there is no condition preventing him from entering the campus, there is no basis on which the institute can restrict him from attending classes or staying at the hostel. Yet, since the matter is sensitive, they are seeking legal advice.“The matter might be put before the academic council for a decision after legal opinion is received,” the official said.Toppannawar’s counsels questioned the delay in recording the survivor’s confessional statement before the magistrate and termed her a “ghost complainant”. The woman missed three dates set for the recording of her statement and didn’t submit her clothes, cellphone, or consent for a medico-legal test.Toppannawar was granted bail against a bond of Rs 50,000 — Rs 25,000 in cash and Rs 25,000 as a personal bond. He was also asked not to leave the state, to submit his passport to the police, and meet the investigating officer every alternate day.Although he was granted bail late on Saturday, he spent Sunday at Haridevpur PS due to bond-related legalities. His lawyers said he is likely to leave the police station on Monday evening, after completing all formalities.“We are supposed to submit Rs 25,000 before the cash branch of the court, but it was closed on Sunday. We are also procuring his passport to submit to police,” said Ravindran.Meanwhile, the B-school campus has been abuzz with discussions on whether he should be allowed to attend classes. While a section of students and teachers feel that sharing space with him might make other students uncomfortable, others believe he should be allowed in since he was granted bail.
