The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday presented a status report before the Supreme Court regarding the ongoing probe into the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The CBI, which took over the investigation five days after the incident, expressed concerns over the handling of the case by the Kolkata Police, claiming that crucial evidence may have been tampered with.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, told the Supreme Court that by the time the central agency was involved, significant alterations had already been made to the crime scene. He emphasized that the Daily Diary (DD) entry by the Kolkata Police was recorded at 10:10 am on August 9, yet the crime scene was only secured much later in the evening, which he described as “disturbing.”
The CBI also highlighted issues with the timing of the first information report (FIR) and the handling of the crime scene. Mehta noted that the FIR was registered at 11:45 am, after the cremation of the victim’s body, raising concerns about the potential for evidence destruction.
The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, questioned the discrepancies in the timeline presented by the Kolkata Police. Senior lawyer Kapil Sibal, representing the West Bengal government, informed the court that the autopsy was conducted between 6:10 to 7:10 pm on August 9. However, the court pointed out that according to the CrPC guidelines, the inquest panchnama, which must be completed in cases of unnatural death, was not properly executed.
Justice JB Pardiwala expressed shock at the procedures followed by the state authorities, remarking, “The entire procedure followed by your state (West Bengal) is something which I have not come across in the 30 years of my career.”
The apex court further noted that although the crime took place during the night, the crime scene was not secured until 7 pm the following evening, long after the post-mortem was conducted. The court questioned why the crime was registered as an unnatural death only at 11:30 pm on the same day, after the police officer returned to the station.
Solicitor General Mehta also informed the court that the videography of the crime scene was only conducted after senior doctors and the victim’s colleagues insisted, indicating suspicions of foul play.
In light of these findings, the Supreme Court directed the Kolkata Police officer who registered the first entry about the rape and murder to appear at the next hearing to clarify the timing of the events.
The case, which has sparked widespread outrage and protests, involves the rape and murder of a young trainee doctor on August 9. The prime suspect, Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer, has been arrested. Amid ongoing protests, parts of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital were vandalized on August 14. The Calcutta High Court had transferred the investigation to the CBI on August 13, citing concerns over the local police’s handling of the case.
