(MENAFN- Live Mint) Fresh details have emerged in the Kolkata doctor rape and murder case, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool congress trading barbs over a viral video. Here are the top developments in the rape and murder case involving the alleged killing of a 31-year-old doctor of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospita :
1. Parents,
Police and bribery allegations
Earlier this week, family members of the deceased doctor accused the Kolkata Police of attempting to suppress the case by hurriedly cremating the body of the doctor . Participating in the protests at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the parents demanded justice and accused a senior police officer of trying to bribe them after the incident came to light.
“Police, from the very beginning, tried to hush up the case. We were not allowed to see the body and had to wait at the police station while the body was taken for post-mortem examinations. Later, when the body was handed over to us, a senior police official offered us money , which we immediately declined,” the father of the deceased doctor was quoted by news agency PTI as saying on September 4.
Also Read | 'Police took no responsibility when....': Aunt of RG Kar rape-murder victim
Meanwhile, the aunt of the deceased doctor alleged,“When the body of the daughter was lying in front of the parents in the house, the police were offering money, is this the humanity of the police? Police were saying that they had fulfilled all their responsibilities. Is this what is called fulfilling the responsibility?”
3. TMC refuted bribery claim with a video
On Thursday, September 5, the TMC refuted accusations of a police cover-up by the parents of the woman doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered. The party released a video, reportedly shot last month, which shows the trainee doctor's father declaring that all rumours of a bribe being offered to them are unfounded.
Mint could verify the authenticity of the video, which was played during a press conference at the TMC office. In the video, the parents were heard saying that they were never offered money.
“A video went viral yesterday where it is claimed that a police official offered money to the parents in the aftermath of the incident. Another video has appeared in the public domain, where the parents clearly stated that such claims are lies and they only want justice for their daughter,” TMC leader and minister Shashi Panja said.
In the video clip, the victim's father could be heard saying, as per India Today,“We have not said anything about attempts being made to bribe us by police officials. This is a blatant lie. I urge everyone not to spread such rumours and instead ensure that our daughter gets justice."
Panja accused the BJP of not seeking justice, but rather using the tragedy for political gains. "This is deeply affecting the sentiments of the medic's parents," she said.
4. Family says video 'forcibly recorded'
Within an hour, the family claimed that the video mentioned by the TMC was forcibly recorded by the police just after the cremation. Speaking to a Bengali news channel, a family member said,“The video was shot by the police just days after the incident took place and we were forced to participate. The truth is that the police tried to hush up the case and attempted to protect (former) RG Kar principal Sandip Ghosh."
On Friday, September 6, an aunt of the deceased doctor said ,“...A video has gone viral...The family was forced to shoot it on the night of 11th August. The matter was with the Kolkata Police at that time. They forced us to say this...We don't know what the amount was, but it was a bundle of notes...The video was made viral at 1 am, it was done deliberately.”
5. BJP hits back at TMC
BJP leader Amit Malviya posted a video, saying that the family had claimed that "Mamata Banerjee's police threatened to derail the investigation, if they didn't come on camera and deny the allegations of being of being offered money, to withdraw the case".
"TMC hacks are circulating a video of the deceased RG Kar doctor's family and claiming that WB Police didn't offer any money to them," Malviya posted on X while sharing a video wherein the parents said they "later realized police were trying to divert the issue".
6. ED raids houses of ex-principal of RG Kar hospital
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids in West Bengal in connection with an alleged financial scam involving RG Kar Hospital's ex-principal Sandip Ghosh. The raids were carried out at Ghosh's residence in Beliaghat and at two locations in Howrah and Subhasgram. All four are already in CBI custody.
The ED booked Sandip Ghosh under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This decision followed a petition by Dr. Akhtar Ali, the former deputy superintendent of the facility, who sought an investigation by the ED into multiple allegations of financial misconduct during Ghosh's tenure as principal.
Also Read | Sandip Ghosh, ex-RG Kar Principal, struggled to sleep in CBI custody: Report
Ghosh served as principal from February 2021 to September 2023. He was briefly transferred from RG Kar in October 2023 but was reinstated within a month.
7. BJP on Sandip Ghosh's viral letter
Amit Malviya also reacted to the viral letter seeking repair and renovation of area near the seminar room, where the body of the RG Kar doctor was found on August 9. The letter was dated August 10.
Citing the letter, Malviya said,“It means the claim of renovation starting prior to the date of crime was an OUTRIGHT LIE. The WB Govt and the hospital LIED. Kolkata Police even filed complaints against those, who shared the video of the broken wall.”
8. Bengal's Aparajita Anti-Rape Bill
The Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government introduced Aparajita Anti-Rape Bill in the assembly. The TMC cited a few reason as to "why Aparajita Anti-Rape Bill is the answer we've been searching for".
The reasons mentioned by the party were :“90 cases of rape are reported daily across India; Current conviction rate stands at a dismal 2.57%; Delays in justice delivery have allowed perpetrators to evade consequences.”
Meanwhile, West Bengal Governor Ananda Bose criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for failing to send a technical report along with the Aparajita Bill passed by the state Assembly. As per rules, the government is duty-bound to send a technical report before a decision is taken on giving assent to the bill.
9. SC hearing today
The Supreme Court will hear the plea filed by Sandip Ghosh , the former principal of Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, on Friday, September 6. In his petition, Ghosh challenged the Calcutta High Court's order dismissing his plea to be added as a party to a petition alleging financial irregularities at the institute during his tenure.
10. HC seeks CBI report on nasty social media posts
On Thursday, the Calcutta High Court directed the CBI to file a report by September 18 on detestable posts being made on social media regarding the rape-murder victim of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The court noted that nasty comments, which are far from being acceptable to any member of the society, have been made with the photograph of the victim as found in the copies of the offending posts provided by the petitioner.
(With inputs from agencies)
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