The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has accused Tala Police Station’s officer-in-charge, Abhijit Mandal, of arriving late at the crime scene and conspiring to mislead the investigation into the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The CBI alleges Mandal arrived at the scene an hour after being notified, despite the short distance of just 1 kilometer from the police station. Additionally, the CBI claims Mandal permitted the cremation of the victim’s body against her family’s wishes.
The crime, which occurred last month during the victim’s night duty, led to the arrest of Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer. Following a directive from the Calcutta High Court, the CBI took over the investigation and has also arrested former RG Kar College principal Dr. Sandip Ghosh and Mandal for delays in the FIR and evidence tampering. Both are in custody until September 17.
The CBI has criticized Mandal for failing to secure the crime scene, leading to potential evidence tampering. The agency has highlighted a delay in registering the FIR, despite the crime being reported at 10:03 am, and the Supreme Court had previously noted a “14-hour delay” in the FIR filing.
The CBI also accused Mandal of facilitating a hasty cremation while the victim’s family sought a second autopsy. Furthermore, the CBI noted that Sanjay Roy’s clothes and other belongings were not seized by the police for two days after his arrest.
Junior Doctors Persist with Protest
Junior doctors continue their sit-in outside ‘Swasthya Bhavan,’ the state health department headquarters in Salt Lake, for the seventh consecutive day. Despite attempts to resolve the situation with the state government failing, the doctors remain determined to seek justice for their colleague, enduring harsh conditions and inclement weather.
