The gruesome rape and murder of a post-graduate trainee doctor in Kolkata’s state-run R G Kar Medical College Hospital has turned murkier with a doctor having access to the autopsy report, alleging there could be more than one person involved in the rape-cum-murder. Already, CBI, on directions of Calcutta High Court, has begun its preliminary probe amidst allegations that circumstantial evidence were sought to be removed by carrying out urgent renovation of the room where the sordid act took place. On Tuesday, the High Court division bench of Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya transferred the probe from Kolkata Police to CBI saying there was possibility of destruction of evidence.
The high court said, "when the deceased victim was a doctor working in the hospital, it is rather surprising as to why the Principal/hospital did not lodge a formal complaint. This, in our view, was a serious lapse, giving room for suspicion." The court asked Dr Sandip Ghosh, the principal of the medical college, to go on leave immediately and said he shall not be permitted to hold the post of Principal of National Medical College and Hospital, Calcutta until further directions. Lashing out at the state government and Kolkata Police, the high court said, “we are convinced to say so because even after a lapse of five days there appears to be no significant progress in the investigation, which ought to have happened by now and by 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 every possibility that the evidence will be destroyed and the witnesses will be influenced etc." The high court referred to nationwide protests by doctors and women organizations over the incident and said, " it has become imperative and necessary for this Court to exercise its jurisdiction failing which the confidence in the public mind would be shattered and the public confidence will also be jeopardized."
The high court directed the CBI to file its first report on the probe after three weeks, when the next hearing shall take place. For Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the incident and the High Court’s stern order have become a big political embarrassment. The court questioned why police in the earlier stage described the incident as a suicide, and how police, after arresting an accused, assumed that he was the only one who committed the inhuman act. The court also questioned why the college principal was not questioned by police and why the principal, who resigned on “moral grounds” was hurriedly appointed as principal of another medical college. The court ordered Kolkata Police to hand over all documents related to the case to CBI immediately. CBI has sent its team of forensic and crime experts to initiate the probe. Meanwhile, a doctor having access to the post-mortem report alleged that semen of more than one person has been found on the body of the victim, and that there was a strong possibility of more than one person involved in the rape.
On Tuesday night, the Federation of Resident Doctors Association, after a meeting with Union Health Minister J P Nadda, decided to call off its indefinite strike. The minister has assured the doctors that adequate security will be provided to doctors in all government hospitals. There can be no two opinions on the issue that the brutal rape and murder of the trainee doctor was sought to be downplayed by police in the initial stage. One expected Kolkata police to delve deep into the circumstances of the murder, but after watching the hearing in Calcutta High Court on Tuesday, one can surely say that police tried to muddle things instead of solving the mystery. Police first tried to describe the death of the doctor as suicide, without waiting for the autopsy report. Police tried to pin the blame on a single person for the act, while doctors involved with post-mortem have said that there could be more than one person involved. Efforts were made by authorities to shield the principal of the medical college by transferring him hurriedly. One can understand lapses in probe could be the result of negligence on part of police, but transfer of the college principal was a political decision. Fingers are now being pointed at Mamata Banerjee’s government. I would request political parties to desist from politicizing this horrendous act and wait for the CBI to complete its probe on a war footing. The family of the lady doctor who was raped and murdered must get justice. The perpetrators of this brutal crime must be punished in a manner so that criminals in future might tremble in fear. This, in the least, is what humanity can do for the unfortunate victim.
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