RG Kar rape-murder: CBI continues to quiz ex-principal
Kolkata (PTI): The CBI on Friday summoned former principal of RG Kar Medical College Sandip Ghosh for the 14th consecutive day for questioning in connection with its probe into the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor in the early hours of August 9.
Ghosh, officials said, has already been quizzed by the agency for over 140 hours.
Besides the gruesome crime, Ghosh is also under the agency’s lens in the financial misconduct case at the hospital in which the sleuths have already registered an FIR against him and other entities.
Agency officials also searched and questioned the former principal at his residence last Sunday.
Ghosh was seen walking inside the CGO Complex in Salt Lake, which houses the agency’s eastern regional headquarters, at around 10.45 am.
On Thursday, multiple CBI teams visited the state-run RG Kar hospital as part of its ongoing investigations.
The first of the three teams from the agency's Nizam Palace office probing the alleged financial irregularities reached the hospital morgue to inquire about its infrastructure, protocols involved in preserving dead bodies and conducting post-mortems, a CBI official said.
The five-member team spoke to hospital doctors and staff, including the head of forensic department and current vice principal, Dr Saptarshi Chatterjee, for further clarifications on the issues.
The probes followed complaints by the hospital's former Deputy Superintendent Akhtar Ali of trafficking of unclaimed bodies, among other allegations of financial misconduct like corruption in disposal of bio-medical waste, nepotism in floating construction tenders and so on, during Ghosh's tenure as principal.
A second CBI team from Nizam Palace simultaneously searched the hospital store building where medical and purchase records are kept, the official said.
Another CBI team on Thursday went to the chest department housed at the third floor of the hospital's emergency building where the victim was on duty that fateful night, inspected the crime scene and spoke to nurses and other hospital staff, it was learnt.
So far, the probe has resulted in only one arrest, that of Kolkata Police civic volunteer Sanjoy Roy, who currently remains in judicial custody.
With 18 days having passed since the CBI took over investigation charges on a Calcutta High Court order, several unanswered questions about the ghastly crime – such as whether multiple people were involved, DNA test results of the fluid found in the victim’s genitals, forensic test reports of tissue samples found underneath the victim’s nails, whether responsibilities have been fixed on the alleged alteration of the crime scene – still continue to dominate the public domain.
Calcutta High Court transferred the twin probe - into the August 9 rape-murder of the medic and allegations of corruption during the tenure of Ghosh - on August 13 and August 23 respectively to CBI.
Ghosh has been questioned by the central agency at its CGO complex office since August 16.
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Ministers' absence in assembly undermines govt's dignity, says Speaker UT Khader
Bengaluru, Mar 18 (PTI): Karnataka Assembly Speaker U T Khader on Tuesday criticised the absence of ministers in the House, saying it undermines the dignity of the government.
He sought to know why ministers choose to hold their positions if they cannot come to the Assembly sessions and take part in the discussions on time.
Responding to opposition BJP's criticism of the government, he said most ministers were absent in the Assembly, other than a few.
"... The ministers should be present in the House, no one can tolerate their absence. Ministers are bringing down the dignity of this government. By not coming to the House on time, ministers are causing disrespect to the government, despite good works," he said from the Chair.
Pointing out that no minister other than Krishna Byre Gowda was present in the House on Monday evening, he said his presence facilitated some legislative business.
"Why become a minister when they don't like to come to the House on time? Send someone who can come (on time as Ministers). They want to become ministers, but they can't answer or stand on behalf of the government in the Assembly, what should be done?" he wondered.
The Speaker remarked that opposition criticism on the issue cannot be dismissed.
When Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil arrived in the House, Khader said, "When the Chief Minister is present in the House, all Ministers come, it is not required, as the Chief Minister can manage things. They (ministers) should come, when the CM is not there. What is the use of (ministers) coming when he (CM) is here, and leaving when he is not there."
Earlier, as Leader of Opposition R Ashoka initiated a discussion on the law and order situation in the state, BJP MLA Sunil Kumar criticised the government by pointing at the empty treasury benches.
"Who is there in the House to question this government? The law and order situation is the state is orphaned just as this House has been abandoned by this government and its ministers. There is no one to question, the Speaker has to come forward and protect us, you (Speaker) should not become helpless from the Chair," he said.
Despite the Speaker's attempts to persuade him, Kumar said, "We have been sitting here since the quorum bell rang at 9.45 am for the proceedings to begin. We were here till 10 pm yesterday. The Speaker should not struggle if ministers don't come to the House on time."
Kumar was joined by other BJP legislators in demanding that the House be adjourned for some time. They asked how the Chair could carry on with the proceedings of the House in the absence of the Ministers.
Kumar said Ashoka was present in the House till 10.15 pm last night and again returned at 9:45 am today. He questioned the seriousness of the ruling party members when the LoP was discussing the issue of law and order.
When Minister Krishna Byre Gowda tried to defend the government, the Speaker retorted, "You are here, where are others?"
The speaker's comments were welcomed by Ashoka and other opposition members for holding the government accountable.
Later, when the House met post lunch, Sunil Kumar, again pointed to the empty treasury benches and said the government and ministers seem to have not learnt a lesson.
Leader of Opposition Ashoka said let the House be adjourned till the ministers come and requested the Speaker to direct the government's chief whip to ensure that ministers are present or remove him from the post.
In response, Chief Whip Ashok Pattan said, he was ready to resign. "I telephoned them (Ministers) and was told that they will come in some time..."
Speaker Khader then adjourned the House for some time.
