In a significant legal development, CPI(M) leader Kalatan Dasgupta was granted bail by the Calcutta High Court on Thursday concerning his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to attack junior doctors at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. These doctors had been protesting over the rape and murder of a fellow medic.
Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj presided over the case, stipulating that Dasgupta could neither be interrogated further nor arrested without direct consent from the high court. The bail was set at a surety of Rs 500, highlighting the court’s current stance on the evidence presented.
The controversy began when an audio clip surfaced, allegedly featuring Dasgupta in a conversation planning an attack on the medics to tarnish the image of the Mamata Banerjee-led government. This clip was released by TMC leader Kunal Ghosh, sparking immediate action from the Bidhannagar City Police, who arrested Dasgupta and another suspect, Sanjiv Das, under a suo motu case.
During the court proceedings, Dasgupta’s counsel, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharjee, argued that no actual attack on the junior doctors occurred and that his client had not instructed or planned any violence. The public prosecutor countered by noting the frequent communication between Dasgupta and Das, with records showing 171 phone calls over the last 10 months. However, Bhattacharjee questioned how these calls could substantiate a conspiracy.
Adding to the complexity, the court queried why Dasgupta faced charges under non-bailable sections, whereas Das was booked under bailable conditions despite their alleged roles in the discussed plans.
The case has drawn attention due to its implications on political and medical community relations in West Bengal. The junior doctors have been demonstrating outside Swasthya Bhawan, the state Health Department’s headquarters, demanding improved security at state-run hospitals following the tragic incident at RG Kar Medical College.
The high court has scheduled the next hearing for November 18, where the state is expected to file an affidavit explaining the rationale behind the arrests, and Dasgupta will have the opportunity to file his defense affidavit.
