Lucknow:

BSP supremo Mayawati on Thursday said incidents of crime against women were “extremely worrying”, and asked political parties to rise above party politics and take “strict steps” to prevent them.

Her remarks come against the backdrop of the nationwide outcry over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata and also cases of rape of girls in other parts of the country.

“The incidents of rape, murder and suicide, especially of innocent girls and women, happening in Bengal, Badlapur in Maharashtra, Bihar, and Kannauj, Agra and Farrukhabad districts of Uttar Pradesh are extremely sad and worrying,” the former chief minister said on X.

1. देश में कभी बंगाल, कभी महाराष्ट्र के बदलापुर, कभी बिहार में तो कभी यूपी के कन्नौज, आगरा व फर्रूखाबाद ज़िले आदि में भी मासूम बच्चियों नाबालिग़ व महिलाओं पर ख़ासकर रेप, हत्या व आत्महत्या आदि की हो रही घटनाएं अति-दुःखद व चिन्ताजनक। 1/2

— Mayawati (@Mayawati) August 29, 2024

“The Centre and all state governments should rise above party politics and take strict steps in this matter so that such incidents stop happening. Politics should not be done in its guise. This is the need of the hour and also in the interest of women,” she added.

2. केन्द्र व सभी राज्य सरकारें, इस मामले में दलगत राजनीति से ऊपर उठकर सख़्त कदम उठाएं, ताकि ऐसी घटनायें जल्दी होना बन्द हो, ना कि इसकी आड़ में राजनीति की जाए, यही समय की मांग है तथा यही महिलाओं के हित में भी है। 2/2

— Mayawati (@Mayawati) August 29, 2024

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata:

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Anti-Corruption Branch announced on Sunday that they have uncovered substantial evidence in their corruption probe against former RG Kar Medical College principal Sandeep Ghosh.

When asked if they had found any concrete evidence, a CBI official responded, “…there is a lot.”

The CBI initiated a corruption investigation against former principal Sandeep Ghosh by filing an FIR on Saturday.

On Friday, the Calcutta High Court transferred the investigation of financial irregularities involving Dr Sandip Ghosh, which was previously handled by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), to the CBI.

This decision was made while hearing a petition filed by Akhtar Ali, the former deputy superintendent of the hospital, who accused Dr Ghosh of financial misconduct and unethical practices. The High Court assigned the CBI to investigate the matter, as it is also handling the investigation into the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the hospital.

The Court has granted the CBI three weeks to submit a progress report on the investigation, which is to be presented on September 17.

Earlier today, CBI officials conducted a polygraph test on the arrested accused, Sanjay Roy, in connection with the rape and murder case of a female trainee doctor in Kolkata.

Additionally, Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar and other Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers protested at Shyambazar today against the incident.

In a related development, Parimal Dey, a teacher from Alipurduar in West Bengal, who was honoured with the Banga Ratna award by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in 2019, has decided to return the award due to the state government’s response to the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder incident.

Speaking about his decision to ANI, Parimal Dey said, “I have decided to return the Banga Ratna award. Given the protests that have occurred in Bengal and beyond, my conscience dictates that I should give it back. I support the protest. The way she (Mamata Banerjee) is running the administration is not right.”

Earlier today, the West Bengal Motion Picture Artists’ Forum staged a protest in Tollygunge, demanding justice for the victim in the RG Kar Medical College rape-murder incident and urging the Kolkata administration to take responsibility.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ordered that the security of Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital be handed over to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) while hearing the suo motu case concerning the rape and murder of the trainee doctor.

The trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)