Dilip Ghosh has been a member of the RSS since his youth, and has served it in various roles across the country before getting active in the BJP in 2015.

Ghosh, as the West Bengal BJP president, is credited with establishing the BJP as the main opposition party in West Bengal, replacing the CPI(M).

“My mother wanted me to get married, so to honour her wish, I am tying the knot. I will continue to be in active politics as I was before. My personal life will have no impact on my political work,” Ghosh told a news channel.

The couple will tie the knot at an intimate ceremony in New Town, with close relatives in attendance. Senior BJP leaders, including the party’s state president Sukanta Majumdar, visited Ghosh’s residence in New Town in the morning to wish him.

It was learnt that the marriage proposal was given by the bride’s side.

Talking about the relationship with Ghosh, Rinku said, “Since 2013, I’ve been associated with the BJP organizationally. When he was an MLA-MP, I never spoke to him. At that time, I worked at the block level. We first spoke just before the 2021 elections at Eco Park, very casually. During this Lok Sabha election, we spoke a bit more. Very ordinary interactions, nothing beyond that.

“Around mid-September, when I was thinking about settling down, I proposed to him. My conditions were: it has to be someone within New Town, and he must accept my political career. While thinking through all this, he came to mind. He is the most eligible bachelor in my constituency. He’s not like the usual political figures. He’s a very good person, very honest, strong. I really liked these qualities and thought, why not propose to him?”

Rinku, when asked if Dilip Ghosh accepted her proposal right away, denied, stating that he did not show interest initially and spoke to his mother before giving an answer, as reported by news18.com.

“No… no… no. He took some time. I had asked him. Initially, he didn’t show interest. Then he took three months, spoke to his mother. After that, he informed me,” she said, reports news18.com.

“In September, when I was thinking about my future, I started thinking about the right kind of person. While searching, I couldn’t think of anyone. But when I started matching my standards, I saw that he’s also in politics like me, a bachelor, a resident of New Town, and he would have to let me continue in politics,” said Rinku, recalling how their acquaintance turned into a relationship.

“It was during an IPL match earlier this month, which Dilip Ghosh and his would-be wife attended, that they decided to get married,” a BJP leader close to them said.

While Ghosh has been a bachelor, this is Majumdar’s second marriage, and she has a son.

The marriage will be solemnised in a simple Vedic ceremony at his residence in Kolkata on Friday, April 18.

On the political front, Ghosh, is expected to play a crucial role in next year’s assembly polls in the state.

West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar said that there is clear instruction from government not to tolerate any kind of hooliganism.

“An atmosphere of unrest has been seen in Jangipur since yesterday and communal disturbance has also been observed. Any kind of hooliganism will not be tolerated. We are dealing with the situation very strongly,” said DGP Rajeev Kumar adding that it started with demonstration, then destruction of public property and then it took communal angle.

“It is our responsibility to protect human life. Strict action will be taken against those who indulge in hooliganism. No one should spread rumours, do not pay attention to rumours. Police will take strict action, do not take the law into your own hands. Section 163 is applicable in violence-affected areas. Strict action will be taken if government property is set on fire. We request for cooperation from the public, we will not tolerate any kind of violence,” said the DGP as he asserted that people are not allowed to come on the streets and take law in their hands.

Meanwhile, Suvendu Adhikari, the West Bengal Leader of Opposition (LoP) on Saturday, April 12 requested Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to transfer the investigation into the recent vandalism incidents at railway stations in the Murshidabad District to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar accused West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee of “threatening Hindus” and trying to “create a Bangladesh here”.

The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Anirban Das in Sealdah had on January 18, 2025 declared Roy guilty of rape and murder of the postgraduate trainee at the hospital on August 9 last year. The charges under which Roy has been convicted entail a minimum sentence of life imprisonment, while the maximum can be capital punishment. The mother of the former civic police volunteer who has been convicted of the gruesome crime said she has no problem if the court hangs him for the crime.

Judge Das said the crime did not fall under the “rarest of the rare” category as justification for not giving death penalty to the convict. The court also directed the state to pay a compensation of Rs 17 lakh to the family of the deceased doctor.

The sentence was passed after the judge heard the final statements of the convict and his counsels placed in self-defence as well as those of the victim’s family, and the CBI. Roy, a former civic volunteer with the Kolkata Police, was held guilty under Sections 64 (rape), 66 (punishment for causing death), and 103(1) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Meanwhile, the parents of the deceased doctor on Sunday alleged that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) did not investigate the case properly. Speaking to media persons, the parents claimed that if the CBI had properly investigated the case, then several others would have been arrested and convicted.

(With PTI inputs)

The allegations against Lovely Khatun include forging documents such as her identity certificate and OBC status to establish her election eligibility. The petitioner claims there is evidence to prove that Khatun changed her identity, including altering her name and official records. 

This comes at a time when seven people have been arrested for allegedly making passports with forged documents for Bangladesh nationals, who had illegally entered the country.

Who is Lovely Khatun?

According to a report by TV9 Bangla, Lovely Khatun’s real name is Nasia Sheikh. She, allegedly entered India without a passport and erased her previous identity. Reports suggest she changed her father’s name to Sheikh Mustafa, which is reflected in her official documents. She reportedly obtained a voter ID in 2015 and a birth certificate in 2018. However, it is claimed that her actual father’s name is Jameel Biswas.

The allegations against Khatun were brought to the Calcutta High Court by Rehana Sultana, a resident of Chanchal, who contested against Khatun in the 2022 Gram Panchayat elections but lost.

When confronted by TV9 Bangla for her response, Lovely Khatun dismissed the allegations, stating, “I am busy and cannot comment on this matter right now.” Her lack of clarification has only fueled further speculation.

Political and legal angle

An Indian Express report states that Rehana’s lawyer, Amlan Bhattacharya, claimed that Rehana contested as a TMC candidate but was defeated by Khatun, who ran as the Congress-Left alliance candidate. A month or two after winning, Khatun switched allegiance to the TMC.

Rehana has accused Khatun of being a Bangladeshi immigrant and obtaining an Aadhaar card and birth certificate using fake documents. Bhattacharya further alleged that Khatun manipulated local records to prove her eligibility for elections. It is claimed that she even approached someone in a neighboring village to pose as her father. Locals reportedly know that Khatun’s real father is Jameel Biswas, not Sheikh Mustafa, as stated in her documents. Additionally, her name does not appear under Sheikh Mustafa’s family in the National Population Register (NPR).

According to the police, Naskar’s body was found at the party office on Friday night. During the investigation, his family members informed the police that he had been missing since November 5.

Giving details regarding the case, a senior police officer stated that the woman confessed hitting the victim with sharp weapons.

“We are exploring the angle of the deceased having been involved in a relationship and any quarrel with the arrested person,” the police officer he told mediapersons.

Upon conducting an initial probe and after keeping tabs on cell phone activities, law enforcement nabbed a woman from a neighbouring vicinity. The woman, under interrogation, confessed to her involvement in the crime, as per official sources. Investigations are ongoing to determine if she worked hand in hand with others.

Political tension escalated with the BJP pointing an accusing finger at the governing TMC, who swiftly retaliated.

BJP State President Sukanta Majumdar accused TMC, stating that its activists were behind Naskar’s murder. He said that the TMC workers wanted to frighten the party’s supporters in the area.

“Our fight will continue until justice is served and the killers of martyr Prithviraj are brought to light. BJP remains resolute in ending the bloodthirsty and oppressive rule of CM Mamata Banerjee in Bengal,” Majumdar said in a post.

Naskar’s father shared that his son’s demand for justice for the victim at RG Kar hospital, displayed on placards during the recent Durga Puja festivities, didn’t sit well with some local TMC activists and police officials.

“My son was warned of dire consequences by local TMC leaders for organising protests on the RG Kar issue during the festive season,” the father said.

How Did It Happen?

The accused rushed Subhashree to hospital claiming that she had attempted suicide. The doctors at the hospital declared her dead. Pradyumna told police that his wife had committed suicide. Following this police lodged a case, sent the body for autopsy and initiated investigation.

Post-Mortem Report

After carefully studying the post-mortem report, it revealed some disconcerting facts. There were noticeable signs of struggle marked by bruises on her hands and around the neck. It was clear that the cause of her death was an overdose of anaesthesia. Once the autopsy findings were out, the police decided to question Das – the person of interest. Confronted with hard evidence, he confessed, unravelling the vicious plan where he, along with two other women, plotted an end to his wife’s life.

Extramarital Affairs

Investigation revealed that Das had extramarital affairs with two women. When Subhashree learnt about the affairs, she started fighting with his husband. Eventually, she left Das’s house and went to her parents’ house. She had been living at her parent’s house for the last eight months

On  28th of October, Das convinced Subhashree to meet him at one of his girlfriends’ houses. He acquired a sedating shot from his associates, who worked at a local drug store.

When the victim came to the house, Das and his girlfriend Rosy forcibly injected two anaesthesia injections to her, leading to her death.

Further investigation into the matter is underway.

The agency did not mention the charge of gang rape, indicating that Roy alone committed the crime, according to the officials.

Kolkata Police had arrested Roy on August 10 on the basis of CCTV footage which showed him entering the seminar room in the early hours of August 9, they said.

The CBI, which took over the investigation on August 14 following a Calcutta High Court order, also took his custody and conducted a detailed interrogation, followed by a polygraph test.

Roy had refused to give consent for the narco analysis, following which the CBI could not proceed with the test.
The CBI has also arrested Tala police station officer in-charge Abhijit Mondal and former principal of the medical college Sandip Ghosh in the case.

Ghosh is also facing another CBI case pertaining to alleged corruption. The body of the trainee doctor was found at 9.30 am on August 9 by her colleague who went looking for her before starting ward rounds. The Tala police station was informed about the “body of a lady lying in an unconscious state” and its team reached the spot around 10.30 am.

The junior doctor’s killing sparked a protest by resident doctors across the country, demanding better security for them.

(with PTI inpts)

Kolkata Rape And Murder Case: What Junior Doctors Have Questioned?

Junior doctors expressed their worry over the choice to execute the autopsy at RG Kar Medical College, as opposed to another venue. Usually, a neutral location is preferred to ensure unbiased outcomes. Accusations are flying that the autopsy took place at the supposed victim’s own institution under the sway of Ex-Principal Sandip Ghosh, possibly with an intention to cover up evidence.

Reliable sources have shed light on a vital document obtained by the CBI, which contradicts earlier claims. The document unveiled that prior to conducting the postmortem, the victim’s father and junior doctors made five separate demand. These were formally presented in writing to the then-principal on August 9. A key element of these requests was that the postmortem should be conducted at the RG Kar Medical College with a judicial magistrate’s supervision.

They also asked for the whole procedure to be filmed, a professional post-mortem team involving a minimum of two female doctors to be present, and a judicial panel to be set up. Moreover, the note wished to have four female trainees in post-graduation to attend the post-mortem.

Kolkata Rape And Murder Case: Document Signed By Victim’s Father

The document was signed by the deceased trainee doctor’s father and two doctors from the college. The documents then forwarded to the DCP North through the RG Kar Hospital police outpost.

A senior official from Kolkata Police department recently disclosed that the autopsy was performed as a result of the demands from the dissenting doctors, with the whole process video-documented and supervised by a legal magistrate. He finds it quite surprising that some are now questioning the authenticity of the autopsy.

Voicing his concern for the recent upheaval, Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh implored the striking doctors to substantiate the document’s authenticity and shed some light on why rumors of oppression and deceit continue to ripple through the masses when it appears their demands have been aptly answered.

“One of the documents has come into the light. The protesting junior doctors should speak out whether this is genuine document. If this is genuine then they should be answerable on why a narrative was trying to be made that there was hide and seek and attempt to suppress evidence during the postmortem?,” Ghosh said.

Renowned protest leader, Dr. Aniket Mahato, when contacted by India Today for an in-depth comment chose to remain succinct, suggesting that a phone call couldn’t possibly do justice in explaining the scope of the issue.

Minor Girls Molested At Kolkata Hostel: Warden’s Husband Frequently Visited Hostel

It all started after the warden’s marriage, which happened few days ago. The warden’s husband frequently visited the hostel and stayed overnight with her, without taking permission from the hostel authorities, IndiaToday reported citing sources.

According to one of the guardians of the students, “This is a clear violation of the rules in any girl’s hostel. No man is allowed to stay overnight without proper authorisation from the authorities.”

Minor Girls Molested At Kolkata Hostel: The Crime

The warden’s husband first sexually assaulted a minor girl student and then went on to abuse three more students at the hostel.

Minor Girls Molested At Kolkata Hostel: The Arrests

Acting on the parents’ complaint, police nabbed a teacher of St Stephen’s school, the warden and another person involved with the authority.

Minor Girls Molested At Kolkata Hostel: Main Culprit On The Run

However, the main culprit – the warden’s husband – fled away and is on the run. Police are trying to nab the accused.

Minor Girls Molested At Kolkata Hostel: What Police Said?

Police told India Today TV that a private English tutor by the name of Biswanath Sil, in association with another individual named Sovon Mondal who is also tied to the office, allegedly engaged in sexual exploitation of their pupils.

“Upon receiving the complaint, we immediately registered a case under section 10/17 of Pocso Act and 74/54, 64/62 of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).”

Police are investigating the matter and questioning more people involved with the hostel authority. Further investigation is underway.

Kolkata Rape And Murder Case

A female trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. The autopsy report revealed that the girl was raped before the murder. Police arrested Sanjay Roy, the main suspect in the case, who was the former principal of the medical college. The case was handed over to CBI and probe is underway.

CM Banerjee, following a meeting with protesting doctors on Monday, made the announcement at around midnight that Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, Director of Medical Education (DME) Kaustav Nayek, and north Kolkata Deputy Commissioner Abhishek Gupta, and Director of health services Debashish Haldar would be shunted from their current postings.

An official order to this effect was issued on Tuesday, naming Manoj Verma, formerly ADG law and order, as the new Kolkata Police chief,  while his predecessor, Vineet Kumar Goyal, has been appointed as the ADG & IGP of Special Task Force (STF).

Who is IPS Manoj Verma?

Manoj Kumar Verma is a Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the 1998 batch who until yesterday served as the Additional Director General (ADGP) and Inspector-General of Police (Law and Order) of West Bengal Police.

A decorated IPS officer, Manoj Verma was awarded the Police medal for Meritorious Service (PMMS) on Independence Day in 2017 when he was posted as Inspector General of Police (IGP) of Traffic headquarters. Later, in 2019, Verma was felicitated with the Chief Minister’s Police Medal for his work as the Police commissioner of Barrackpore.

Earlier, this year, Manoj Verma had replaced Jawed Shamim as the ADGP and IGP (Law and Order). Previously, Manoj Verma had served ADG and IG (Intelligence Bureau), a posting he switched with Shamim who was given charge of these departments while Verma took over the former’s duties.

IPS Manoj Verma early life, career

Manoj Verma was born on September 30, 1968 to a middle-class family in a Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan. Verma completed his schooling in his hometown and later went on to crack the UPSC exam in 1998 and earning an IPS cadre, according to his rank.

Manoj Verma is an alumni of the National Police Academy in Hyderabad and was first posted as the Superintendent of Police (SP) in West Midnapore district of West Bengal, where his role in curbing Maoist activities earned him widespread appreciation.

New Kolkata Police Commissioner

Manoj Verma will now take over as the new Police Commissioner of Kolkata, replacing Vineet Goyal, whose shunting had been one of several demands of agitating doctors who are protesting the August 9 rape and murder of a trainee medico at the RG Kar hospital.

“Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal and Deputy Commissioner of the North Division Abhishek Gupta will be transferred. The doctors had claimed that Goyal had earlier told them that he wanted to step down because they had lost faith in him. We have accommodated his request and transferred him to a position he had asked for…We will announce the name of the new police commissioner after 4 pm on Tuesday after the scheduled hearing in Supreme Court gets over,” chief minister Banerjee had said on Monday after a meeting with the protesting doctors at her official residence.

Previous two attempts did not yield any result.

The state government has termed this meeting the “fifth and final invitation for talks.” It has been confirmed that, in contrast to earlier instances, the doctors have proceeded into the meeting area, signaling the start of official negotiations.

The initial discussions between the doctors and the Chief Minister, including the one on Saturday, September 14, were unsuccessful due to disagreements regarding the live transmission or recording of the proceedings.

The doctors had insisted that the discussions be videographed, with a copy handed to them immediately after the meeting. This led to both sides walking away from negotiations without reaching a consensus.

Mamata Banerjee, having previously stepped back to focus on her duties, has now rejoined the initiative to resolve the deadlock. It is anticipated that both parties will collaborate towards a solution, with the ongoing negotiations aimed at concluding the protests.

A letter has been sent to the junior doctors stating, “This is the fifth and final time we are reaching out to you for a meeting between the Honourable Chief Minister and your delegates. In line with our discussion from the day before, we are once again inviting you to a meeting with the Honourable Chief Minister at her Kalighat residence for a discussion with an open mind.”

However, the doctors have been demanding the live streaming of the meeting.

“We demanded the live streaming to let the public know about what was happening inside the meeting. We don’t know what their problem is… We demand live streaming of the meeting…Our five demands are very justified…The public is supporting us because we are apolitical and we have not bent down to the pressures of the government…We are ready to compromise, but if they don’t listen to our demands, then there is no point in calling us for a meeting,” said a protesting doctor.

As the junior doctors continue their protest at Swasthya Bhawan, in the Salt Lake area, Tala Police Station incharge Abhijit Mondal has been taken for medical examination from the CBI Office in Kolkata.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on September 13 that as many as 29 people had lost their lives as a result of the disruption in health services.

CM Banerjee stated that to extend a helping hand to the bereaved families, the state government announced a token financial relief of Rs 2 lakh to family members of each deceased person.

On Saturday, CM Banerjee visited Swasthya Bhawan, where the doctors are protesting, and met them. She assured that their demands would be addressed and stringent action will be taken against culprits.

While speaking with the doctors, she expressed her concern over their situation. mentioning that they are protesting in rain, the West Bengal CM stated that she had been losing sleep.

Notably, doctors have been protesting against the gruesome rape and murder of the trainee woman and demanding justice for her. The victim was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.

Kolkata Rape And Murder Case: Charges Against Sandip Ghosh

On Saturday, Ghosh found himself embroiled in a number of charges filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Insider reports detail how he was arrested on the grounds of suspicious behavior, particularly obstructing their ongoing investigations and possibly tampering with crucial evidence. This includes negligent delays in revealing the death of the victim and stalling the initial launch of the crucial information report. The CBI, intending to delve deeper into their rape and murder investigations, has approached a local judicial body asking for Ghosh’s custody. It’s worth remembering that Ghosh’s first brush with the law was back on September 2 related to alleged financial irregularities at the hospital, during his tenure as principal.

On the 9th of September, while dealing with the case on its own motion, the Supreme Court brought up a noteworthy disparity in the timing between the filing of the general diary (GD) and the formal police complaint (FIR). It was pointed out by the Chief Justice DY Chandrachud that there appears to be at least a 14-hour lag before the FIR was officially recorded.

Kolkata Rape And Murder Case: Court Turns Down CBI Request For Narco Test Of Sanjay Roy

A court in Kolkata has turned down the plea for a narco analysis of Sanjay Roy, the main accused in the case. Despite CBI’s proposition for the test, in hopes of verifying Roy’s version of events, the request was denied. This contentious decision has emerged amidst fervent public protests and an ongoing ‘cease work’ done by uprising junior doctors, driven to action by the distressing incident.

Roy was brought to Sealdah court on Friday where the judge personally spoke to him to know whether he had any objections to the test. As per CBI sources, Roy initially agreed for the test, but changed his mind later. As a result, his change of heart led to the denial of the plea for a narco analysis test since he took back his consent.

Kolkata Rape And Murder Case: CBI Collected Dental Impression Of Sanjay Roy

On Thursday, Sanjay Roy’s dental impression was collected by CBI during their investigation. This key evidence, according to an PTI official, could be instrumental in shaping the current case.

Kolkata Rape And Murder Case: Timeline from protests to CBI report on Sept 17

August 9

The 31-year-old female trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in semi-naked condition. Postmortem revealed she sustained external and internal injuries in the sexual assault. No FIR was filed for around 14 hours.

August 10

Kolkata police arrested the accused Sanjay Roy amid massive protests by doctors. CM Mamata Banerjee vowed to seek death penalty for assailant.

August 11

The West Bengal government transferred, Sanjay Vashisth, Superintendent of RG Kar Medical College. FORDA supported the agitation in the case, calling for nationwide strike.

August 12

CM Mamata Banerjee gave new RG Kar College Principal seven-day deadline to take immediate action. Sandip Ghosh stepped down.

August 13

The Calcutta High Court took cognisance of the case and urged the protesting doctors to resume service. The case was transferred to CBI, The CBI arrested the accused.

August 14

A 24 member CBI team was formed to investigate the case.

August 15

A mob stormed into the RG Kar Hospital and vandalised the emergency department and nursing station.

August 16

Police arrested over 19 people over vandalism charges at the hospital.

August 17

NCW alleged security lapses while the IMA sought Prime Minister’s intervention.

August 18

Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of the incident, posted the matter for hearing on August 20.

August 19

CBI questioned Sandip Ghosh for the fourth consecutive day. Permission to conduct a polygraph test was granted.

August 20

The Supreme Court has put together a team of ten to form a task force. Their mission is to create a national guideline to ensure that medical professionals all over the country are protected and secure.

August 21

CISF to take over security at RG Kar Hospital. Meanwhile, Kolkata police suspended three officers.

August 24

Central agency conducted lie-detection tests on Sanjay Roy.

August 25

CBI raided residence of Sandip Ghosh, ex-MSVP Sanjay Vashisth and 13 others.

August 26

The Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj announced the “Nabanna Abhijan” march demanding CM Banerjee’s resignation.

September 10

Protesting junior doctors refused the state government’s invite for talks.

September 11

The WB government rejected junior doctors’ demands for the CM Banerjee’s presence and a live broadcast of the meeting.

September 14

CBI arrested Sandip Ghosh and a Kolkata police officer.

The IMD bulletin said the weather system, a deep depression was located over Bangladesh and adjoining Gangetic West Bengal, and was moving west-southwestwards and laid centred at 20 km south-southwest of Kolkata (West Bengal), 170 km southeast of Bankura.

“It is likely to move nearly westwards across Gangetic West Bengal and maintain its intensity of deep depression. Thereafter, it will continue to move nearly westwards across Jharkhand and north Chhattisgarh as a depression during the subsequent 48 hours,” the weather agency informed, adding that a deep depression is a more intense stage of a low-pressure system and typically precedes the formation of a cyclonic storm.

According to the IMD bulletin, heavy rains are likely to lash Kolkata over the next 24 hours with maximum temperature likely to settle at around 29 degrees Celsius.

As per the local Met office, Kolkata had received 72.4 mm of rain in 24 hours from 6.30 am on Friday till Saturday morning. Later in the day, the Met department said from 5.30 pm on Friday, the city and its adjoining areas recorded 53.4 mm of rainfall in 24 hours.

“So more than 125.8 mm of rainfall was recorded from 6.30 am on Friday till 5.30 pm on Saturday”, it said.

The rainfall disrupted normal life as water-logging was reported in several parts of the city, slowing down traffic movement on arterial roads such as EM Bypass, Central Avenue, Beleghata Road and Shakespeare Sarani, among others.

(With PTI inputs)

Das, who lives on a footpath beside S N Banerjee Road and collects scrap for a living sustained injuries in his right wrist in the blast and is being treated at the Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital, the police said.

Following the blast, a team of officers from the nearby Taltala Police Station rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area, a senior police official said, adding that a Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) was called and is investigation the cause and nature of the explosion.

VIDEO | Rag picker, identified as Bapi Das, injured in blast on SN Banerjee Road in central Kolkata earlier today. More details awaited.

(Source: Third Party) pic.twitter.com/5pohm19FoB

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 14, 2024

“The area was cordoned off and a bomb disposal squad reached the place. They checked the bag and the vicinity,” he said.

The blast resulted in traffic being halted in the area, which was later resumed after the BDDS conducted a thorough inspection of the place and gave their clearance, the officer said, adding that a forensics team has also reached the spot to conduct their investigation into the blast.

BJP attacks Mamata over ‘deteriorating law and order’

Meanwhile, opposition BJP claimed the incident was a clear sign of the failing law and order in West Bengal under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress (TMC) regime, with Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar calling for a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the blast.

“The explosion is of great concern. It should be investigated thoroughly. In particular, I feel that an investigation by NIA is required. I don’t think the police have that kind of professionalism to investigate this incident,” Majumdar said.

The BJP leader said the incident was a glaring example of Bengal’s “deteriorating” law and order under CM Mamata Banerjee who also holds the Home Ministry portfolio, and demanded her resignation.

“The incident depicts the failure of Mamata Banerjee as a Home Minister. If this is the condition of law and order in the state, the Home Minister should resign,” he added.

The protesting doctors were chanting “’we want justice” outside the Swasthya Bhawan (the headquarters of the state Health Department) in Salt Lake. There, Banerjee said she would not take any steps against them as she did not believe in suppressing a democratic movement. “Bengal is not Uttar Pradesh,” she said.

Watch The Video Here

VIDEO | Kolkata doctor rape-murder case: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) interreacts with junior doctors who are protesting in front of state health department headquarters in Salt Lake.

(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/0Tdzwrf3RR

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 14, 2024

However, after she left the site, the agitating doctors said they were not ready to compromise on their demands till they were called for discussions. This development has only made the situation unpredictable as the state waits for the protesting doctors to resume their duties and achieve some kind of immediate solution to the ongoing stand-off.

Mamata Banerjee, accompanied by DGP Rajiv Kumar reached the site in Sector 5 around 1 pm, taking those present there by surprise.

She said she was spending sleepless nights as the doctors continue their protest on the road amid rains.

“I came to meet you as your ‘didi’ (elder sister) not as the chief minister. I assure you that I will study your demands and take action if someone is found guilty,” she said, urging the protesting doctors to return to work.

She also announced that patient welfare committees of all state-run hospitals were dissolved with immediate effect.

“This is my last attempt to resolve the crisis,” Banerjee said.

The doctors have been camping outside the Swasthya Bhawan since Tuesday with a host of demands, including better security at state-run hospitals and the removal of top officials over the rape and murder of a female resident doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

The protest by the junior doctors have been going on for over a month, affecting the public healthcare infrastructure of the state. The state government claimed that 29 people have died as they did not receive medical attention due to the protests.

(With PTI inputs)

According to officials, a team of CBI officials arrived at Sudipto Roy’s residence in Sinthee area on the northern fringes of Kolkata city on Thursday afternoon, and questioned the TMC leader in connection with the central agency’s ongoing investigation into the case.

Following the CBI questioning, Dr Roy, who is the president of the RG Kar Patient’s Welfare Committee, said he fully cooperated with the agency’s officers and was willing to do the same if and when required again.

“CBI sleuths had come to question me regarding the investigation into the death of a student at RG Kar hospital last month. I cooperated with them,” Roy, the Serampore MLA, told reporters.

CBI collects Sanjay Roy’s dental impressions

Meanwhile, the CBI has also collected the dental impression of prime accused Sanjay Roy in order to match the same with the bite marks found on the slain doctor’s body, officials said.

They said that Roy’s dental impression, which could play a vital role as evidence in the case, was collected during a questioning session by the central agency detectives at the Presidency Correctional Home in Kolkata.

“There were bite marks on the body of the woman and the post-mortem report has mentioned those. Our idea is to match those with the accused’s dental impression,” news agency PTI quoted CBI officer as saying.

Kolkata doctor rape and murder

Last month, on the morning of August 9,  a 31-year-old trainee doctor was found raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in West Bengal capital Kolkata, triggering mass outrage and widespread protests across the country.

The medic’s body was found in a bloodied state in the hospital’s seminar room, leading to the arrest of the accused, Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer, who was an outsider frequenting the hospital premises.

The ghastly nature of the crime sparked protests nationwide protests from medics across the country, which brought medical services to a grinding halt for days as hundreds of doctors went on strike under different banners demanding safety of medics through a central law.

On August 13, the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the probe from the Kolkata Police to the CBI, which started its investigation on August 14.

Last week, the CBI arrested the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Dr Sandip Ghosh, in connection with alleged financial misconduct at the establishment.

Mamata offers to resign

Earlier, on Thursday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee offered to resign after protesting doctors refused to meet her. Expressing regret over the junior doctors’ refusal to come for talks to resolve the impasse over the R G Kar rape-murder case, Banerjee said she was “ready to resign” for the “sake of people”.

The chief minister, who waited for nearly two hours for the agitating doctors to come for the meeting, said she also wanted the victim to get justice and apologised to the people of West Bengal for the continued deadlock.

“We have tolerated a lot of canards and insults for the last 33 days,” she said at a press conference but assured the protesters that despite violating the Supreme Court directive by not resuming duties, she would not take action against them.

(With inputs from agencies)

The government’s invitation, sent via email at 3:49 am on Wednesday, proposed a discussion at the state secretariat, Nabanna, at 6 pm the same day.

Chief Secretary Manoj Pant urged the doctors to send a delegation of 12 to 15 members to the meeting and indicated that a positive response would be appreciated.

The invitation did not confirm whether Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would be present.

Pant’s letter also addressed the doctors’ defiance of a Supreme Court order to resume duties by 5 pm on Tuesday.

“You will, no doubt, appreciate and agree that as a law-abiding citizen, it is everyone’s bounden duty to adhere to these directions. Unfortunately, it has not been adhered to so far,” Pant wrote.

He added that the state government hoped the doctors would return to work and provide necessary care to the public.

Despite the invitation, the junior doctors set few pre-conditions for talks.

“There are several points that need to be discussed before we decide whether to accept the invitation to Nabanna or not,” one of the doctors said.

Around 5:23 PM, the agitating doctors said the delegation must include at least 30 representatives as several medical colleges and hospitals are involved in the agitation.

“We want the discussion to be held in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and be telecast live. We want at least 30 representatives as this movement is spread across various medical colleges and hospitals,” a member of the junior doctors’ forum said at a press conference.

The doctors said even if they go to the meeting, “they will attend it without any pre-conclusion.”

“If we attend the meeting, we will come back and discuss it with our friends and then announce our decision,” the junior doctor said.

Kolkata Rape And Murder Case: What Victim’s Mother Said?

She said that CM Banerjee is lying, and we will get the compensation. “The Chief Minister is lying. My daughter will not return. Would I lie in her name? The Chief Minister told us that we would receive money and suggested that we create something in our daughter’s memory. I responded that I would come to her office to collect the money once my daughter gets justice,” the victim’s mother told news agency ANI.

The deceased trainee doctor’s cousin also said that CM Banerjee personally offered financial compensation to the family.

“The Chief Minister herself offered financial compensation. She denied that money was offered by the police. I’m still saying with responsibility that the Chief Minister offered money,” the cousin said.

West Bengal | RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape and murder case in Kolkata | Victim’s mother says, “The Chief Minister (Mamata Banerjee) is lying. We were offered money…My daughter will not return, will I lie in her name? The Chief Minister said you will get money, make… pic.twitter.com/If2fTwSOMi

— ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2024

Kolkata Rape And Murder Case: What CM Banerjee Said?

On Monday, CM Mamata Banerjee denied offering money to the deceased trainee doctor’s family, who was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Hospital.

“I have never offered money to the deceased doctor’s family. This is nothing but slander. I only told the deceased doctor’s parents that if they wished to do something in their daughter’s memory, our government would support them. Kolkata Commissioner of Police, Vineet Goyal, offered to resign following the RG Kar protests, but we need someone knowledgeable in law and order as Durga Puja approaches,” she said.

She also encouraged people to “return to festivities” as Durga Puja nears and urged junior doctors to resume their duties as soon as possible.

Kolkata Rape And Murder Case: Victim Doctor’s Mother Replied

In response, the deceased trainee doctor’s mother said that this request seemed inhuman to her.

“Durga Puja is celebrated in my house too; my daughter used to handle it herself. But Durga Puja will never be celebrated in my house again. The light in my home is out. How can I ask people to return to the festival?” she said.

She further questioned, “If such an incident had happened in the Chief Minister’s family, would she have said this?”

The victim’s mother also asserted that they would continue their movement until justice is served.

Kolkata Rape And Murder Case

The horrifying incident occurred at RG Kar Medical College on August 9, where the trainee doctor sexually assaulted and murdered inside the college’s seminar hall on August 9.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court, while reviewing the case, stressed that doctors returning to their duties by 5 pm the next day should not face any penalties. Nevertheless, the court cautioned the medical community that non-compliance could lead to the state government considering disciplinary measures due to their persistent absence from work.

(with ANI inputs)

The bench was led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and two others slammed the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government over its handling of the sensitive case. The bech questioned the about the 14-hour delay in registered the FIR, highlighting that the crucial document required for the postmortem was ‘missing’.

“Where is the challan of the body when it’s handed over for post-mortem?,” CJI Chandrachud questioned.

Kolkata Rape And Murder: What CBI Said?

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, informed the bench that the challan was not part of their records. “It’s crucial because this column contains what other material was sent along with the body,” he said.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the central probe agency, told the Bench of three judges that the challan was not part of their record.

“It’s crucial because this column contains what other material was sent along with the body,” he said.

He added that without challan the authorised doctor for the post-mortem cannot accept the body.

Kolkata Rape And Murder: What SC Asked?

“How was the post-mortem carried out in the absence of a formal request?” CJI Chandrachud asked.

The court has shown an interest in gaining more insight on the sequence of incidents related to the suspicious death notice about a junior doctor who was sexually assaulted and killed at RG Kar Hospital, Kolkata. This happened after the CBI’s status report was submitted. Representing the West Bengal government, eminent lawyer Kapil Sibal pointed out that the death certificate was given out at 1:47 pm, contrasting to the time at 2:55 pm when the police logged the unnatural death occurrence.

The Court also raised multiple concerns regarding the post-mortem report in a case of alleged rape and murder. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the West Bengal government, pointed out several issues. One of the advocates present during the hearing questioned the improper handling of a vaginal swab, which should have been preserved at 4 degrees Celsius but was not.

Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, representing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), noted that the post-mortem report did not mention the time it was conducted, which is a critical detail in such cases. He added that in cases of rape and murder, the first five hours are crucial for collecting evidence, and the CBI faced challenges as they began their probe five days after the incident.

The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud, asked SG Mehta whether the necessary documents were available when the body was sent for the post-mortem. Senior Advocate Sibal, unable to immediately produce the required documents, requested additional time to submit them. Mehta confirmed that the documents were not included in the files provided to them.

Kolkata Rape And Murder: Updated Report By Next Week

During the proceedings, CJI Chandrachud directed the CBI to submit an updated status report by next week. The court will review the matter on Tuesday, September 17.

Sibal informed the court that the West Bengal government had filed a status report, revealing that 23 people died due to a lack of medical attention when doctors were unavailable. CJI Chandrachud asked about the proximity of the residence of the Principal of RG Kar Medical College to the hospital. SG Mehta responded that it was about 15-20 minutes away.

The court sought clarity on the registration of the report for the unnatural death. Sibal stated that the death certificate was issued at 1:47 PM, while the police registered the unnatural death report at 2:55 PM. Sibal further mentioned that the search and seizure related to the incident took place between 8:30 PM and 10:45 PM.

The court also inquired about CCTV footage related to the incident. SG Mehta confirmed that four video clips, totalling 27 minutes, had been handed over to the CBI. The CBI is now sending the samples to AIIMS and other forensic labs for further examination.

Additionally, the Supreme Court instructed that security be tightened at RG Kar Medical College, with accommodations provided for all CISF personnel near the hospital. Regarding security matters, the Supreme Court instructed CISF personnel to ensure that no one is allowed inside emergency wards without proper identification at RG Kar Medical College.