In the Kolkata doctor rape-murder case, Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital who is already in custody for financial irregularities, has been charged with rape and murder. The central investigating agency also arrested Abhijit Mondal, the officer-in-charge of Tala police station, who had dispatched teams to the crime scene.
Ghosh had been previously detained by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over financial irregularities at the institution. Sources indicate that two more Kolkata Police officials are under CBI scrutiny, and a Sub-Inspector from Tala Police Station is also being questioned, as per a News18 report.
CBI officials expressed doubts about Ghosh's account, particularly after his driver disclosed that he had been summoned to Ghosh's residence at 6 am, despite the former Principal of RG Kar Hospital claiming to have learned of the incident at 10:20 a.m., stated the report.
Further suspicion was cast on Mondal following an inconclusive forensic report on rape, which contradicted the post-mortem report's findings of sexual assault. This discrepancy has raised concerns about the proper collection of body swabs and the seemingly hasty cremation of the victim, leading to closer scrutiny of evidence gathering and documentation processes. Mondal, who has been interrogated eight times with inconsistent statements, has now been arrested and will be presented in court, according to a CBI official.
A protesting junior doctor noted that their arrests were a key demand from them, who had been calling for accountability due to their alleged involvement in tampering with evidence in the rape-murder case. The protestor also urged the CBI to take further action against others for tampering with evidence. "We have been demanding the arrest of the former principal of the college Sandip Ghosh and Abhijit Mondal, officer-in-charge of Tala police station for their involvement in tampering with the evidence. We are very happy as the CBI has arrested them. CBI should arrest others also who have tampered with the evidence," the junior doctor said.
The much-awaited talks to resolve the impasse between agitating junior doctors and the West Bengal government fell through. This happened after protestors, who had agreed to join the meeting based on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's appeal despite relenting on their live-streaming demand, were "unceremoniously" asked to leave the venue.
This comes after Mamata Banerjee visited the junior doctors' protest site in front of Swasthya Bhaban, where she assured the doctors that she would address their demands and make efforts to fulfill them. She further urged the protesting doctors to return to work.
Dr Aqeeb who was part of the delegation that went to meet the CM, said, "We were ready for minutes after CM appealed. We were discussing and when we were about to go (for the meeting), we were told that the time was up, and the CM cannot meet us. We will wait for the next communication with the CM. Till then we will continue protesting."
On August 9, the body of an on-duty doctor was found in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. An autopsy later revealed that she had been raped and sustained multiple injuries.
The CBI is investigating the 31-year-old trainee doctor's brutal rape and murder. Meanwhile, doctors have been holding a sit-in protest outside the West Bengal Health Department’s office in Salt Lake, demanding justice for the victim. Their protest has disrupted healthcare services at state-run hospitals.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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