The Calcutta High Court, on Monday, posed critical inquiries to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) concerning their investigation into the tragic incident at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, where a junior doctor was raped and murdered in August of the previous year. The court, presided over by Justice Tirthanker Ghosh, is reconsidering the case following a petition for a fresh investigation filed by the victim’s parents.
During the hearing, Justice Ghosh demanded clear responses from the CBI on whether the nature of the charges suggested the involvement of a single individual or multiple assailants, indicating a possible gang-rape scenario. Additionally, the court queried whether the CBI had considered applying Section 70 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which pertains to cases involving multiple suspects.
Despite a chargesheet already being filed, the court emphasized the need for ongoing investigative efforts and questioned the CBI about the status of a second chargesheet. However, the court specified that it would review only case diaries instead of a formal report at this stage.
This high-profile case began after the 31-year-old doctor was found deceased within the premises of the hospital, leading to widespread condemnation and the eventual resignation of the college principal, Dr. Sandip Ghosh. The investigation was initially handled by local authorities but was transferred to the CBI by the High Court in August 2024 due to concerns over potential evidence mishandling and financial discrepancies under the principal’s administration.
In a related development earlier this year, the trial court convicted and sentenced Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer with the city police and the prime accused in the case, to life imprisonment after a 57-day in-camera trial. Roy had been arrested shortly after the incident. Following this, an appeal by the State government for a harsher penalty was dismissed by the High Court, allowing only the CBI to seek the same sentencing in an appeal.
