Kolkata doctor’s rape and murder: Perpetrators must be given exemplary punishment – India TV

The gruesome rape and murder of a post-graduate doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College Hospital in Kolkata has become murkier now that a doctor has had access to the post-mortem report and alleged that there could be more than one person involved in the rape and murder. The CBI, on directions of the Calcutta High Court, has already begun its preliminary investigation amid allegations that an attempt was made to eliminate circumstantial evidence by undertaking urgent renovation of the room where the sordid act took place. On Tuesday, the High Court division bench comprising Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya transferred the investigation from the Kolkata police to the CBI, saying there was a possibility of destruction of evidence.

The Supreme Court said that “when the deceased victim was a doctor working in the hospital, it is quite surprising that no formal complaint was lodged by the director of the hospital. This, in our view, was a serious lapse giving rise to suspicion.” The court asked Dr Sandip Ghosh, the principal of the medical college, to take leave forthwith and said that he would not be allowed to hold the post of the director of the National Medical College and Hospital, Calcutta until further instructions were given to him. The top court, which came down heavily on the state government and the Kolkata police, said, “We are persuaded to say so because even after a lapse of five days, there does not appear to be any significant progress in the investigation, which should have happened by now and for further loss of time, we would be well justified in accepting the plea raised by the writ petitioners, more particularly, the parents of the victim, that there is a possibility of destruction of evidence and influencing of witnesses etc.” The apex court referred to the nationwide protests by doctors and women’s organisations over the incident and said, “It has become imperative and necessary for this Court to exercise its jurisdiction, otherwise, the confidence in the mind of the public would be shattered and public trust would also be compromised.”

The High Court directed the CBI to submit its first report on the investigation after three weeks, when the next hearing will be held. For Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the incident and the High Court’s stern order have become a major political embarrassment. The court questioned why the police described the incident at the initial stage as a suicide and how the police, after arresting an accused, assumed that he was the only one who committed the inhuman act. The court also questioned why the police did not question the college principal and why the principal, who resigned on “moral grounds”, was hurriedly appointed as the principal of another medical college. The court directed the Kolkata police to hand over all documents related to the case to the CBI immediately. The CBI has sent its team of forensic and criminal experts to start the investigation. Meanwhile, a doctor who had access to the post-mortem report said that semen from more than one person had been found on the victim’s body and there was a strong possibility that more than one person was involved in the rape.

On Tuesday evening, the Federation of Resident Doctors Association, after a meeting with Union Health Minister JP Nadda, decided to call off its indefinite strike. The minister has assured the doctors that adequate security will be provided to the doctors in all government hospitals. There can be no two opinions on the issue that the police tried to downplay the brutal rape and murder of the junior doctor right from the beginning. One expected the Kolkata police to thoroughly investigate the circumstances of the murder, but after watching the hearing in the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday, one can safely say that the police tried to complicate matters instead of solving the mystery. The police first tried to describe the doctor’s death as suicide, without waiting for the post-mortem report. The police tried to blame a single person for the act, while the doctors involved in the post-mortem have said that there could be more than one person involved. The authorities made efforts to protect the principal of the medical college by hastily transferring him. It can be understood that the lapses in investigation may be a result of negligence on the part of the police, but the transfer of the college principal was a political decision. Now the finger is being pointed at the Mamata Banerjee government. I would request the political parties to desist from politicising this heinous act and wait for the CBI to complete its investigation on a war footing. The family of the doctor who was raped and murdered must get justice. The perpetrators of this brutal crime must be punished in a manner that the criminals of the future will tremble with fear. This, at least, is what humanity can do for the unfortunate victim.

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