Doctor's rape-murder: Parents allege police tried to hush up case, bribe them

PTI & EOI, Kolkata, Sep 5, 2024 : Family members of a doctor, who was allegedly raped and murdered here last month, joined the protesting medics at RG Kar hospital on Wednesday and accused the Kolkata Police of attempting to suppress the case by hurriedly cremating the body of the doctor.

Participating in the protests at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where the body of their daughter was recovered on August 9, the parents demanded justice and accused a senior police officer of trying to bribe them after the incident came to light.

“The police, from the very beginning, tried to hush up the case. We were not allowed to see the body and had to wait at the police station while the body was taken for post-mortem examinations. Later, when the body was handed over to us, a senior police official offered us money, which we immediately declined,” the father of the deceased doctor said.

The Calcutta High Court ordered the handover of the case to the CBI in the second week of August.

The parents of the postgraduate trainee stated that they joined the protest to support the junior doctors fighting for justice for their daughter.

Since August 10, protests have erupted across the state, with people from various sectors demanding justice for the victim.

On Monday, the CBI arrested the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Dr Sandip Ghosh, in connection with alleged financial misconduct at the establishment.

On Tuesday, the West Bengal Assembly unanimously passed a state anti-rape bill seeking capital punishment for rape convicts if their actions result in the victim’s death or leave her in a vegetative state, and a life sentence without parole for other perpetrators.

Meanwhile, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh on Thursday questioned whether the parents of the rape-murder victim shared this information with the CBI. Responding to questions by journalists at a press conference on Thursday afternoon, Ghosh said the allegation of bribery by police, if true, is a very serious one, but contradictory videos showing the parents making statements have created confusion.

"In one video we can see they are making this allegation. In another, there is no mention of this point. So it is difficult to ascertain which is true. My question is, if this has really happened with the parents of the victim, did they share this piece of information with the CBI? If they have, then why didn't the CBI summon the concerned police officer who tried to bribe the parents and interrogate him? And if they haven't told the Central agency about this, then why did they make this revelation so many days after the incident took place?" Ghosh said.

He and the Trinamool Congress can understand their pain, and they do not want to raise any questions on their statements and actions. He also mentioned the interactions that he had with the victim's father a few days back.

Asked about the incident in Mathabhanga, where some TMC workers allegedly threw water to wash out a picture drawn on the street by protestors on Wednesday night, Ghosh said he condemns the incident. "The party has given a very clear instruction that there should be absolutely no interference with any protest and movement organized by civil society. They have every right to express their anger and disappointment over the heinous crime, and we completely sympathize with them. But we will not allow any activity by the Opposition parties like CPM, BJP, Congress, and some organizations which are trying to politicize the issue."

After the incident came to light, protests erupted across the state, with people from various sectors demanding justice for the victim. Kolkata Police arrested a civic volunteer for allegedly being involved in the rape and murder of the trainee doctor. The Calcutta High Court ordered the case to be handed over to the CBI in the second week of August. 

Later, the court ordered the transfer of the probe into the alleged financial irregularities at the hospital from a state-constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) to the central agency. On Monday, the CBI arrested the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Dr. Sandip Ghosh, in connection with alleged financial misconduct at the establishment.