Calcutta HC Questions State Over Allegations Of Doctor's Rape-Murder On RG Kar Campus Being Registered As Suicide, Directs Principal To Go On Long-Leave

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday heard multiple pleas over the brutal rape and murder of a 2nd Year PG student at the RG Kar Medical College and Hosptial campus after she had finished her midnight rounds and gone to rest in the campus's seminar hall.

A division bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya questioned the state government after allegations were made that the police had initially registered the deceased's death as a suicide, which was informed to her parents, who were kept waiting for hours before they were allowed to see her body. The bench observed:

If it is a fact that somebody called the parent and told them that it was sickness and then suicide, there is a miss somewhere. If this is true that they were made to wait and mislead then the administration is loitering with them. You cannot treat the deceased like this. There should be more sensitivity. Suppose the doctors are made parties and they claim that the principal blamed the deceased and said she had psychosis, it is very serious. By now a statement should have been recorded from the principal.

The parents of the deceased were represented by Senior Advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, who submitted that they initially received a phone call claiming that she had fallen sick and upon reaching the college were told that she had committed suicide, but were not allowed to see her body for up to three hours while waiting there.

It was submitted that when they saw her body for identification, they were convinced that the incident could not have been a suicide due to the gruesome nature of the injuries. The senior counsel prayed that the matter be immediately transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) since crucial evidence could be destroyed with the passage of time.

Counsel appearing for other petitioners submitted that Dr Sandip Ghosh, who was the principal of the medical college had resigned from his post claiming "moral responsibility" but was within a few hours appointed as principal of the Calcutta National Medical College, another government college.

In taking exception to such occurrences, the Court remarked: If the principal has stepped down owing moral responsibility, rather serious that he is rewarded within 12 hours with another appointment. There is an apprehension that with lost time there is something that will go wrong. No man is above law, how did he step down and then be rewarded with another responsibility? The principal is the guardian of all doctors working there, if he doesn't show any empathy who will show? He should be at home not working anywhere. So powerful that a government counsel is representing him? The principal will not function. Let him go on long leave. Otherwise, we will pass an order.

In response to the allegations, the state submitted that they had been carrying out a thorough investigation and that there was no scope for any further probe. It was submitted that a case of unnatural death was registered since there was no complaint registered when the deceased's body was found. It was submitted that though a complaint could have been filed by officials or the principal, none was received.

Infuriated by these submissions, the court rebuked: We can't understand. You didn't find the body on the road? The principal could have been the complainant. So you will reward him?! (for not filing a complaint) That's enough. We have heard. You are protecting him. this is unacceptable. Suppose you find a body on the road- even then - every day the newspapers have request for information. This is inhuman.

Accordingly, the court has listed the matter for further hearing at 2:45 pm to consider the petitioners' prayer for the transfer of the probe to the CBI.

This is a developing story and will be updated.