West Bengal:

The mother of the trainee doctor from Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College has accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of lying about not offering financial compensation.

On Monday, she refuted the CM’s claim, stating that Mamata Banerjee did offer money following her daughter’s tragic death.

“The Chief Minister is lying. My daughter will not return. Would I lie in her name? The Chief Minister told us that we would receive money and suggested that we create something in our daughter’s memory. I responded that I would come to her office to collect the money once my daughter gets justice,” the victim’s mother told ANI.

Earlier today, CM Mamata Banerjee denied offering any money to the family of the trainee doctor, who was raped and murdered in Kolkata.

“I have never offered money to the doctor’s family. This is nothing but slander. I only told the doctor’s parents that if they wished to do something in their daughter’s memory, our government would support them. Kolkata Commissioner of Police, Vineet Goyal, offered to resign following the RG Kar protests, but we need someone knowledgeable in law and order as Durga Puja approaches,” she said.

The victim’s cousin also said that the Chief Minister personally offered financial compensation to the family. “The Chief Minister herself offered financial compensation. She denied that money was offered by the police. I’m still saying with responsibility that the Chief Minister offered money,” the cousin said.

CM Mamata Banerjee also encouraged people to “return to festivities” as Durga Puja nears and urged junior doctors to resume their duties as soon as possible.

In response, the victim’s mother expressed that this request seemed inhuman to her.

“Durga Puja is celebrated in my house too; my daughter used to handle it herself. But Durga Puja will never be celebrated in my house again. The light in my home is out. How can I ask people to return to the festival?” she said.

She further questioned, “If such an incident had happened in the Chief Minister’s family, would she have said this?”

The victim’s mother also asserted that they would continue their movement until justice is served.

The second-year postgraduate medical student was raped and murdered inside the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College on August 9.

On Monday, the Supreme Court reminded the authorities that no action should be taken against doctors who return to work by tomorrow at 5 pm while hearing the case related to the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

However, the court noted that if the doctors fail to do so, the court will not be able to restrain the state government, and further absence from work might lead to disciplinary action against them.

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

Kolkata:

Four colleagues of the 31-year-old doctor, who was raped and murdered in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, will be put through the lie-detector test because their statements are contradicting each other, sources from CBI have said. These include two first-year postgraduate trainees, a house surgeon and an intern.

Sources in the central agency have said that it doesn’t appear that the four doctors were involved in crime, but it wants to check if they played a role in tampering with evidence or were part of a conspiracy. The investigators have also pieced together the sequence of events the night before the doctor was sexually assaulted and killed. 

According to Kolkata Police’s timeline of events, one of these doctors saw the victim’s body in the seminar hall around 9.30 am the next day and alerted the authorities. All these four doctors had been questioned by the city police before CBI took over the probe, the timeline reveals.

What Has CBI Found?

The CBI has found fingerprints of two of these four doctors in the third-floor seminar room where the body was found. A CCTV camera had captured the house surgeon going from first floor to the third floor that night. The house surgeon has said that he went to the third floor at 2.45 am that night. The intern was on the third floor and had spoken to the victim that night, the CBI has found.

What Happened That Night

According to the sources, the victim and two first-year postgraduate trainees had dinner around midnight. Then they went to the seminar room and watched Neeraj Chopra’s javelin event at the Olympics. Around 2 am, the two colleagues went to the sleep room where doctors on duty rested. The victim stayed back in the seminar room. The intern has said that he was in the interns’ room. All these three rooms — the seminar hall, the sleep and the interns’ room are located close to each other on the third floor.

The Morning After

Around 9.30 am, one of the postgraduate trainee doctors, with whom the victim had dinner the night before, went to look for her before the ward rounds began. He found “her body in motionless state from a distance”, the Kolkata Police timeline says. He then informed his colleagues and senior doctors who alerted hospital authorities.

The Lie-Detector Test

The CBI has got permission for conducting the lie-detector test on the four doctors and Dr Sandip Ghosh, former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, who has drawn fire for his handling of the situation. A special court gave the go-ahead for this yesterday. Lie detector test can only be conducted after a permission from the court and the consent of the suspect.

New Delhi:

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud today urged counsels for the Centre and West Bengal governments to not politicise the Kolkata doctor’s rape and murder case and stressed that the law is taking its course.

The Chief Justice made the observation during a heated exchange between Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta and Bengal government’s counsel Kapil Sibal during the hearing in Supreme Court. Mr Sibal requested the court to take steps so that inciting statements are not made. To this, Mr Mehta responded, “Nobody should make any statement. We have the statement of a sitting minister of the state of West Bengal. This is something very serious. (The minister said) that if anybody speaks anything against leader, fingers will be chopped off.”

In response, Mr Sibal said, “Then I will read the Leader of the Opposition’s statement. ‘Bullets will be fired’ is what he said. Suvendu (Adhikari) has said.”

“Please don’t politicise this, the law will take its course. We are ensuring that the law does take its course after a quick and efficient investigation,” the Chief Justice said.

The statement comes amid a massive political row surrounding the chilling crime in the Bengal capital. Main Opposition BJP has been holding protests and targeting the ruling Trinamool Congress. The Mamata Banerjee-led party has alleged that the BJP is levelling false allegations to malign the state government’s image. 

The bench, also comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra, said it is also concerned about the welfare and safety of doctors. “We are not just going to lay down guidelines, we are going to pass an enforceable direction,” the bench said.

During the hearing, several lawyers representing different groups of doctors expressed concerns of action against them for joining the protests that demand justice for the victim as well as safer working conditions for healthcare professionals.

Justice and medicine, the Chief Justice said, cannot go on strike. Earlier, the bench said doctors must resume their duties because the poor people of the country cannot be left in the lurch.

At the start of the proceedings, a lawyer appearing for resident doctors in AIIMS Nagpur said the medicos are being marked absent because they are on protest.

“If they are on duty, they will not be marked absent and if they are not on duty, then law will be followed. Ask them to first return to work, no one will take adverse action against any doctor. If there is difficulty after that, then come to us, but let them first report to work,” the Chief Justice of India said.

He added that in some cases, people wait for as much as two years for doctors’ appointments. “Poor people cannot be left in the lurch.”

The court has set up a National Task Force to recommend steps to improve working conditions for healthcare professional and ensure their safety.  

Kolkata:

Actor and former Trinamool Congress MP Mimi Chakraborty has said she is receiving death threats in the aftermath of the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

With screenshots of the some of the offensive remarks targeting her, Ms Chakraborty has said in a post on X, “And we are demanding justice for women right ???? These are just few of them. Where rape threats has been normalised by venomous men masking themselves in the crowd saying they stand by women. What upbringing and education permits this????”

AND WE ARE DEMANDING JUSTICE FOR WOMEN RIGHT????
These are just few of them.
Where rape threats has been normalised by venomous men masking themselves in the crowd saying they stand by women.What upbringing nd education permits this????@DCCyberKPpic.twitter.com/lsU1dUOuIs

— Mimi chakraborty (@mimichakraborty) August 20, 2024

She has tagged a senior officer of the cyber crime wing of Kolkata Police, seeking action in the matter.

A popular actor, Ms Chakraborty served as Trinamool MP from Jadavpur from 2019 to 2024. Ahead of the general election this year, she stepped down as MP, saying that she doesn’t want to be in politics. “It is very easy to malign a person when he or she comes from a film background, saying that he or she does not work,” she said, adding, “I won’t say I regret coming into politics. It has given me a lot… My agenda is not to embarrass my party but I will not compromise with my mental peace.”

This time, the Trinamool chose Saayoni Ghosh, also an actor, for the Jadavpur seat and she won the election to enter Lok Sabha.

Ms Chakraborty’s post comes at a time when Kolkata is witnessing massive protests over the doctor’s rape-murder, demanding justice in the case. Doctors across the country have been on strike and sought safe working conditions.

Amid the protests, several celebrities have been trolled for their remarks or for their silence.

Kolkata:

An “absolute failure of state machinery” led to the vandalism at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital late Wednesday and early Thursday, the Calcutta High Court said this morning, as it warned the Bengal government it would order the medical facility to be closed if state police could not protect it.

The High Court directed the CBI to submit an interim report on the “pre-planned” vandalism. The court had earlier directed the CBI to investigate the killing of the doctor, noting there could be “no further loss of time” amid claims by the doctor’s parents of serious lapses by hospital administration and cops.  

The medical college was the scene of a grisly murder, and potential rape, on August 9, which has triggered protests and political squabbles nationwide, including Thursday’s ‘Reclaim The Night’ movement during which a mob clashed with police and vandalised parts of the hospital.

In response to the court’s questions about the vandalism, the state explained, “… there was a mob of around 7,000. The number suddenly swelled… I have videos. They broke barricades… tear gas was fired and 15 police personnel were injured. Deputy Commissioner was injured. Police vehicles damaged. Emergency room ransacked (but) place of occurrence (the crime scene) was protected.”

“Hard To Believe Police Didn’t Know…”

But the court, which came down strongly on the hospital administration and the cops in earlier hearings too – after the doctors’ parents alleged negligence – seemed to dismiss the argument.

A bench led by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam demanded to know why permission was granted for public protests on so volatile an issue. “Normally police has an intelligence wing… similar things happened on Hanuman Jayanti. If 7,000 are to gather, it hard to believe police did not know.”

The state responded that no permission had been granted, but the High Court refused to let the matter drop, pointing out that Section 144 (which prohibits large public gatherings in notified areas) was in effect at the time. “… you should have cordoned off the area,” the cops were told.

“7,000 people can’t come walking…” the court continued, waving away the state’s arguments.

“Absolute Failure Of State Machinery”

“This is an absolute failure of state machinery…” the court thundered, “So they (the police) couldn’t protect their own men? A sorry state of affairs. How will doctors there work fearlessly?”

“You are taking measures? What are the preventive measures?” the court also asked.

Meanwhile, arguing for the parents, senior advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, claimed the police “hid behind the protesters” and argued that a misunderstanding, and not police action, had saved the crime scene from vandalism.

READ | Mamata’s Sunday Ultimatum To CBI For Death Penalty In Rape-Murder

“These hooligans went to look for the third floor.. third floor means fourth storey in Bengali, which was the place of occurrence. They misunderstood and went to the second floor instead, thereby saving the crime scene. State machinery failed… crime scene was RG Kar Hospital and police couldn’t save it.”

The parents’ counsel also flagged demolition/renovation work near the crime scene, which hospital authorities have said had been planned earlier and had nothing to do with the crime.

“What was the urgency…” the court asked, “You go to any district court… no ladies washroom. PwD (Public Works Department) does nothing… what was the need here?”

“We will close down the hospital. We will shift everyone. How many patients are there?” the court raged, even as the state repeatedly assured the court “the crime scene is secure”.

“Okay… we take your word,” the court finally said, but added, “You should also be disturbed! Being a citizen of the city it pains me… It should pain you also.”

READ | 9 Arrested For Violence At Hospital Where Doctor Was Raped-Murdered

The High Court eventually ordered the police, who have arrested nine people so far, to place all details about the protest, including a timeline of events, before the CBI and said the federal agency “is directed to proceed as deemed appropriate.” The court also emphasised the need for protection for doctors.

New Delhi:

Kolkata Police have put out photographs of the mob that went on the rampage at RG Kar Memorial College and Hospital last night during the massive protest against the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at the campus last week. Sharing photos on Facebook with the faces of the rioters circled, the city police have sought information from the public that can help identify the individuals.

Last night, when women across West Bengal and in several other cities of the country were on a ‘reclaim the night’ protest over the chilling rape-murder incident, a mob damaged public property, vandalised vehicles and stormed the hospital building.

Visuals of the rioters damaging property inside have gone viral. Police had to use teargas shells to bring the situation under control. Several cops were injured in the clash.

Amid claims that the rioters had left the crime scene — a seminar hall on the fourth floor — compromised, Kolkata Police have said the crime scene was not touched and warned social media users against spreading rumours.

The mob attack has, meanwhile, intensified the political row over the heinous crime on the premises of the government-run hospital.

Leader of the Opposition, BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, has alleged that the rioters were sent by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to disrupt the apolitical protest rally near the hospital.

“Mamata Banerjee has sent her TMC goons to the apolitical Protest Rally near RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. She thinks that she is the most shrewd person in the whole world and people won’t be able to figure out the cunning plan that her goons appearing as protesters would mix with the crowd and carry out vandalism inside the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

“They were given safe passage by the Police, who either ran away or looked the other way so that these lumpens would enter the hospital premises and destroy areas containing crucial evidence so that it doesn’t get picked up by the CBI,” the BJP leader said.

Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamool Congress general secretary, said the vandalism at the hospital “exceeded all acceptable limits”. Mr Banerjee said he had spoken to Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal and urged him to ensure that every individual responsible for the violence is identified and held accountable within next 24 hours, “regardless of their political affiliations”. “The demands of the protesting doctors are fair and justified. This is the minimum they should expect from the government. Their safety and security must be prioritised,” Mr Banerjee said in a post on X.

The doctor’s rape-murder case is now being probed by the CBI after the Calcutta High Court noted that the city police’s probe has made no significant progress and that the victim’s parents fear that evidence may be destroyed unless an independent agency carries out a court-monitored probe.

New Delhi:

In a veiled attack on the Mamata Banerjee government over the rape and murder of a doctor at a Kolkata hospital, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he feels the outrage in society over atrocities against women and state governments need to take this seriously.

Addressing the nation on Independence Day, the Prime Minister said that the country is witnessing leadership by women in several fields, including Air Force, Army, Navy and the space sector. “But there are some worrisome developments too. I want to express my pain from the Red Fort today. As a society, we need to think seriously.”

“There is public outrage over atrocities against our mothers and sisters. I feel this outrage. The country, the society, our state governments need to take this seriously. Crimes against women must be probed as soon as possible, those involved in demonic acts must face strict punishment at the earliest, this is necessary to create faith in society,” the Prime Minister said, apparently referring to the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The Prime Minister then said that when incidents of violence against women take place, there is a lot of discussion in the media. “But when such perverted people get punishment, it is not seen prominently in news. Time demands that there is widespread discussion on punishments too so that criminals are scared. It is important to create this fear,” he said.

The Prime Minister’s remarks come amid national outrage over the Kolkata doctor’s rape and murder. The investigation has been transferred to the CBI after the Calcutta High Court noted that the city police had made no significant progress in investigation and that there is a possibility of the tampering of evidence.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, whose government is drawing fire over the chilling incident, has said the state government will support the central agency in its investigation, but slammed the Opposition for protests to “defame” Bengal.

“A coordinated approach has been executed by the BJP and CPM, with support from the Centre, to defame Bengal and exploit the situation,” Ms Banerjee said. “They are taking cues from student unrest in Bangladesh and are attempting to capture power similarly. But they won’t succeed,” she said.

Kolkata:

The 31-year-old doctor raped and murdered at a government hospital in Kolkata had a significant amount of semen in her body, suggesting gangrape, her parents told the Calcutta High Court that transferred to the CBI the investigation into the case that has shaken the nation.

They said in their petition that the postmortem report had unequivocally stated that the cause of death was strangulation of the neck and that there are clear signs of sexual assault.

“Petitioners state that the post-mortem report provided devastating details that confirmed their worst fears. Their daughter’s body bore several injury marks, indicating a brutal and violent attack,” said the petition, accessed by NDTV.

Several portions of the victim’s head showed signs of trauma. “Both ears exhibited signs of injury, suggesting a violent struggle. Her lips were injured, indicating that she may have been silenced or gagged during the attack,” the petition added.

It also said bite marks were found on her neck, underlining the severity of the assault.

The petition said that the autopsy found 150 mg of semen in the victim’s body, “a quantity suggesting involvement of more than one individual, further corroborated the suspicion of gang rape”.

Before the case was transferred to CBI, state police had arrested Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer who frequented the hospital.

“No step taken to arrest any other offenders while the evidence clearly indicates that their daughter was the victim of a gang rape and murder, a crime that could not have been committed by one person alone,” the parents’ petition said.

The parents also underlined that the then principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and other stakeholders who were responsible for the victim’s safety on the premises are yet to be apprehended.

In its order to transfer the probe to CBI, the high court came down heavily on the hospital administration and especially its former principal Dr Sandip Ghosh. The court questioned why the hospital authorities did not file a police complaint after the doctor was found dead. It also pulled up the state government for appointing Dr Ghosh as principal of another medical college hours after he resigned as the head of RG Kar Medical College.

In their petition, the victim’s parents have also said “they have come to learn through reliable sources that evidence exists on record suggesting that at least three individuals were involved in the strangulation of their daughter”. “The significant amount of semen found in her body further supports the involvement of multiple perpetrators,” they told the court.

The autopsy, they alleged, was conducted hastily. “Improper autopsy was done with a view to shield the others involved in their daughter’s death,” they said in the petition.

What State Has Said

The state government’s counsel told the high court yesterday that the victim’s inquest was conducted in the presence of a Judicial

Magistrate and two lady doctors. The inquest report was also signed by the victim’s mother, the state counsel said. State police have maintained that they had shared the post-mortem report with the victim’s family.

The postmortem, too, was conducted in the presence of a Judicial Magistrate and the entire process was videographed to ensure there are no allegations of foul play, police officers said. A copy of the postmortem report was also shared with the family members to ensure their concerns were addressed, they said.

CBI Takes Over

Following the Calcutta High Court order yesterday, officials of the CBI have taken over the case and Sanjoy Roy, the accused, is now in the central agency’s custody. The CBI team, which also comprises medical and forensic experts, have been split into three groups. One will visit the seminar hall where the doctor’s body was found, the other will take the accused to court and seek custody and a third will coordinate with Kolkata Police officers who were probing the case.

Kolkata:

Senior Trinamool Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray has said he will join the midnight protest over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The veteran leader announced his decision on X. “Tomorrow I am going to join the protesters particularly because I’ve a daughter and little granddaughter like millions of Bengali families. We must rise to the occasion. Enough of cruelty against women. Let’s resist together. Come what may,” he said in a post late last night.

When a ‘X’ user said the senior leader may be thrown out of Trinamool Congress for joining a protest against his own government, he responded, “Please need not worry for my fate. Blood of a freedom fighter flows in my veins. I’m least bothered.”

Tomorrow I am going to join the protesters particularly because I’ve a daughter and little granddaughter like millions of Bengali families. We must rise to the occasion. Enough of cruelty against women. Let’s resist together. Come what may.

— Sukhendu Sekhar Ray (@Sukhendusekhar) August 13, 2024

The 75-year-old has been a member of the Upper House of Parliament since 2011 and has also served as Deputy Leader of the Trinamool Congress in the House.

Women in Kolkata and other parts of Bengal will take to the streets late tonight as part of a massive protest against the doctor’s rape and murder at the state-run hospital. The protest, which will begin at 11.55 pm, has been described as, “For women’s independence on the midnight of independence”.

Posters sharing locations of the protest are being shared on social media, with new spots being added as more and more people across the state suburbs join it. Men have also decided to join the protest in large numbers to show their solidarity with the cause. Several prominent figures, including actor Swastika Mukherjee, actor Churni Ganguly and filmmaker Pratim D Gupta, have called upon people to join the midnight gathering at locations most convenient to them.

Kolkata has been shaken by the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at the state-run hospital while she was on night duty. The doctor was found dead on Friday morning in a seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in the northern part of the city. She had injuries on her eyes, face, mouth, neck, limbs and private parts.

Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer who frequented the hospital, has been arrested in connection with the case.

The Calcutta High Court yesterday ordered that investigation into the case be transferred to the CBI. The court noted that there were serious lapses on the part of the hospital administration and flagged the possibility that evidence may be destroyed. “Even after five days there have been no significant conclusions which should have happened by now. Therefore, we are justified that there is every possibility that evidence will be destroyed. We deem it appropriate that the case must be transferred to CBI with immediate effect,” it said.

New Delhi:

The BJP has welcomed the Calcutta High Court’s order to transfer to the CBI the investigation into the rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The horrifying incident has sparked nationwide protests as doctors demand safety and security on duty.

Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition in Bengal Assembly, had filed a Public Interest Litigation in the high court, seeking a CBI probe into the case.

Responding to the court’s ruling, Mr Adhikari said in a social media post that the “last bastion of justice” in Bengal has come forward. “In a PIL filed by me along with two others, the cat and mouse game that the State Government was playing to save the skin of the perpetrators by conjuring a cover-up story and a scapegoat, will no longer hold water. The culprits will be caught and punished now,” the BJP leader said.

The Mamata Banerjee administration, he alleged, had failed to protect the life of a hardworking doctor and tried to cover up a gruesome crime against a woman. “The Hon’ble (high court) has come down heavily on the Kolkata Police Commissioner as well as the Principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and has exposed the dirty game that they were playing in cahoots with influential persons in the State Administration,” he said.

“Now that the CBI has taken over the investigation, I have complete faith on the CBI to bring out the truth and put those responsible for snatching away a young daughter from her parents and a competent Doctor from the fraternity. May truth prevail. My prayers for the kindred soul who departed untimely,” Mr Adhikari added.

Hon’ble High Court at Calcutta – The Last Bastion of Justice in West Bengal, has again come forward as the sentinels of Justice, by transferring the investigation into the horrific and tragic incident at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital to the Central Bureau of Investigation…

— Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) August 13, 2024

A bench headed by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam today flagged lapses by the hospital administration after the doctor’s body was found in a seminar hall on Friday morning. The court noted that Dr Sandip Ghosh, then principal of the college, was not proactive in dealing with the situation. The administration of the hospital, he said, was not with the victim or her family. The court also questioned why Dr Ghosh, who resigned in the face of protests over the doctor’s rape-murder, was given a new job as the head of the another college within hours.

The high court noted that under “normal circumstances”, it would have given more time to state police to complete their probe. “Even after five days there have been no significant conclusions which should have happened by now. Therefore, we are justified that there is every possibility that evidence will be destroyed. We deem it appropriate that the case must be transferred to CBI with immediate effect,” the court said.

Chief Minister Banerjee had earlier said that the state government will recommend a CBI probe if Kolkata Police cannot complete its investigation by Sunday. She had said she has no objection to a central agency probe and that the state government has nothing to hide.