West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has suspended three IPS officers over alleged mishandling of the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case. A departmental inquiry has also been initiated against the officers. The suspended officers are Vineet Goyal, the then Kolkata Police Commissioner; Abhishek Gupta and Indira Mukhopadhyay.
Addressing a press conference at Nabanna, CM Adhikari alleged that the officers had attempted to bribe the victim’s family and held a press conference without obtaining written authorisation.
About brutal rape and murder case
RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata became the center of national outrage in August 2024 after a 31 year old postgraduate trainee doctor was found raped and murdered inside the hospital. The case triggered widespread protests by doctors, students, and civil society groups demanding justice, safer workplaces, and accountability from hospital authorities and the West Bengal government.
Allegations of evidence tampering, delayed police action, and institutional negligence intensified public anger. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) later took over the inquiry following court intervention.
Notably, the Bharatiya Janata Party raked up the issue during the election campaign in West Bengal and the victim's mother was even given a ticket from Panihati Assembly Constituency. Ratna Debnath won this election by defeating TMC’s Tirthankar Ghosh by a margin of 28,836 votes.
Dispensing justice for the RG Kar victim was among the top promises of the BJP before the assembly polls.
Victim’s mother reacts over action
BJP leader Ratna Debnath has sought action against former Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, calling her the “head of criminals”. She said there are other people as well who need to be arrested in the case.
“On the suspension of three police officers by the West Bengal government over lapses in the RG Kar case, Mother of RG Kar Medical College rape and murder victim and BJP leader Ratna Debnath says, "There are many criminals, the head of them is Mamata Banerjee, if she is caught and jailed, then the names of all the criminals will come out. The people who had dinner with my daughter that night have not been investigated yet. Only the principal is in jail. College authorities, including Mamata Banerjee, are responsible for this incident. Also, our then Health Secretary Narayanswaroop Nigam is also involved in the murder of my daughter," she said.
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