Court frames charges against RG Kar rape-murder case accused; trial to start on Nov 11
Kolkata, Nov 4: Eighty-seven days after the body of a woman medic was found at state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, a Kolkata court on Monday framed charges against the prime accused, Sanjay Roy.
The court announced that day-to-day trial in the case would commence from November 11.
Roy has been booked under Section 64 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (rape), Section 66 (punishment for causing death or resulting in a persistent vegetative state) and 103 (punishment for murder).
"I have done nothing. I have been framed in this rape-murder case. Nobody is listening to me. The government is framing me and threatening me not to open my mouth," Roy told reporters as he was led out of the Sealdah court.
Roy was arrested by the Kolkata Police on August 10, a day after the on-duty woman doctor’s body was found inside the seminar room of the RG Kar hospital. Later, the CBI took up the investigation into the case on a Calcutta High Court order.
Senior West Bengal Congress Adhir Chowdhury said that Roy's claims should be taken seriously and probed.
"Such claims of an accused should not be ignored and call for an investigation. We have been saying that such a crime is not possible by a single person. It's a collective crime. We do not know whether the CBI and the Kolkata Police are in an understanding. We are sceptical,” he said.
The role of the police is also required to be probed, said Chowdhury, a former state Congress president.
In its charge sheet submitted last month, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) identified Roy as the "sole prime accused" in the case.
Meanwhile, during the hearing in the corruption case in the same hospital, the central agency told a special CBI court in Alipur here that there was a "deep conspiracy" behind the crime.
Former principal of RG Kar hospital and suspended officer-in-charge of Talah Police Station Abhijit Mondal, who were produced before the court virtually, were remanded to judicial custody till November 18.
The counsel of the arrested duo pleaded for bail citing that they could not be termed as "accused" when the CBI has not named them in the chargesheet.
The CBI opposed the bail pleas stating that the matter is being investigated and the duo could be involved in a "larger conspiracy" as well as abetment to crime.
The Calcutta High Court on August 23 ordered transfer of the probe into alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital during the tenure of its former principal Sandip Ghosh from a state-constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) to the CBI. Ghosh was arrested in the case.
Meanwhile, civil society organisations staged a rally from Karunamoyee Crossing to the CBI's office in CGO Complex in Salt Lake demanding that the agency quicken its probe into the RG Kar rape-murder case.
"It's almost three months since the incident happened. What is the CBI doing? There is no clarity in its investigation. We want the CBI to complete its investigation as soon as possible," said Lipika Chakraborty, a school teacher, who participated in the march.
BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said, "The CBI is investigating the case though the police are not cooperating with it. We must be patient," he said.
Senior leader of the ruling TMC, Kunal Ghosh, said the Kolkata Police arrested the accused within 24 hours after the crime was discovered.
“The CBI has also mentioned him as the sole prime accused in its charge sheet. So, when an investigation is on, it is not appropriate to comment," said Ghosh, a former Rajya Sabha MP.
Meanwhile, Kinjal Nanda, one of the agitating doctors, said in a video message: "It has been three months and only one person was arrested. Going by the nature of the crime, involvement of more than one person could easily be understood. What is the CBI doing? Why are they not taking the matter seriously?
"Today, the arrested accused claimed that he has been framed. This is a serious allegation which requires to be probed. We want the CBI to speed up their investigation. We want justice for the victim."
In the evening, junior doctors and people from various walks of society organised rallies in different parts of West Bengal demanding the CBI speed up the probe in this case.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
