RG Kar case: Trial court directs CBI to probe ‘tampering’ of viscera specimens and reports of victim

Kolkata: A trial court in Kolkata on Saturday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe allegations by the parents of the R.G. Kar rape and murder victim about tampering with viscera specimens of the victim, thus manipulating her final viscera report.

The additional judicial magistrate of the lower court at Sealdah in South Kolkata directed the CBI to initiate the investigation in the matter immediately and also submit a preliminary report to the same court by July 30.

To recall, on July 2, the parents of the victim lady doctor in the R.G. Kar rape and murder case approached the said court after receiving a letter alleging that the viscera samples of their daughter were tampered with and thus the viscera report was manipulated.

The letter alleged that the victim’s viscera samples were altered at the State Forensic Science Laboratory in Belgachia in the northern outskirts of Kolkata. It was alleged that three laboratory officials were involved in this incident. The victim’s family submitted a letter to the court alleging that the viscera report in the R.G. Kar case was distorted. They also wanted a CBI investigation in the matter.

The lower court in Kolkata accepted that application and ordered that, along with its ongoing probe into the angle of larger conspiracy behind the rape and murder, the CBI officials will also investigate the allegations related to viscera samples.

Earlier this week, the state government extended the suspension period of three Indian Police Service (IPS) officers accused of dereliction of duty in the R.G. Kar rape and murder case by another 120 days.

The three IPS officers who would remain under suspension till that period were the then Commissioner of Kolkata Police, Vineet Kumar Goyal; the then Deputy Commissioner of Police (North Division), Abhishek Gupta; and the then Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Division) of the city police, Indira Mukherjee. A departmental probe against these three IPS officers is already underway, as directed by the Chief Minister.

After the body of the woman doctor, whose mother, Ratna Debnath, is currently a BJP legislator from Panihati Assembly constituency in North 24 Parganas district, was recovered from within the R.G. Kar premises on the morning of August 9, 2024, there were massive protests throughout the state involving representatives from the medical fraternity and civil society, celebrities and common people. Gradually, the waves of protest spread beyond West Bengal’s borders into other states and, subsequently, to other countries.

Demands were made for the immediate resignation of Goyal and Gupta for the shoddy handling of the investigation. At that time, Mukherjee interacted with the media and was accused of passing on misleading information during press conferences she addressed. Finally, in the face of immense public pressure, Mamata Banerjee transferred Goyal and Gupta, but retained Mukherjee as the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Division).

On May 15 this year, days after taking charge as the new West Bengal Chief Minister, Suvendu Adhikari announced the reopening of the R.G. Kar files by the state administration, the suspension of the three accused IPS officers, and the initiation of a departmental probe against them.

IANS