Kolkata:
A local court verdict on the rape and murder case of a trainee doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital is scheduled today. Civic volunteer Sanjay Roy is the key accused in the case that shook the nation and sparked protests.
Here’s your 10-point cheat sheet to this big story
- Any observations of the special court judge is likely to throw light on allegations of evidence tampering during the initial phase of the investigation done by the Kolkata Police.
- The case was later handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the Calcutta High Court. The CBI during the entire phase of the investigation filed one chargesheet, in which it identified Sanjay Roy as the “sole prime accused” in the rape and murder case.
- He was initially arrested by the Kolkata Police a day after the body of the doctor was recovered from a seminar hall in the college and hospital in August 2024.
- The CBI arrested the former principal Sandip Ghosh and former officer of the local police station Abhijit Mondal on charges of tampering and altering evidence.
- Both were later granted “default bail” by the same special court since the CBI did not file a supplementary chargesheet against them within 90 days from the date of their arrest.
- The process of framing charges against Sanjay Roy at the special court was completed on November 4, 2024, and the trial started on November 11.
- The entire trial was conducted in-camera and within the closed courtroom. During the trial, the statements of a total of 50 witnesses were recorded, which included the parents of the victim, investigating officials of both CBI and Kolkata Police, forensic experts and some doctors and colleagues of the victim.
- In the initial days after the recovery of the body and during investigation by the CBI, West Bengal and subsequently the entire country saw a unity of the representatives from the medical profession, civil society, and common people hitting the streets demanding justice.
- They referred to the victim as ‘Abhaya (the fearless). Gradually, protests were reported from other parts of the world by associations of non-resident Indians.
- The allegations of evidence tampering came after a mob vandalised the emergency department of RG Kar Hospital on August 14, 2024 when thousands were out on the streets of West Bengal to protest against the crime.
