Kolkata rape-murder case: CBI finds police officer, former principal's links in evidence tampering

Dr Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College, had a conversation with Abhijit Mondal, the officer-in-charge of Tala Police Station, shortly after a 31-year-old doctor was found dead on the hospital premise on Aug 9, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said to a Kolkata court.

The CBI on Sep 15 informed the court that although he is not charged with rape or murder, he may be involved in a larger conspiracy.

Charged with evidence tampering in the rape murder case, Mondal was taken into custody by the central agency.

Ghosh has been in custody for financial irregularities at the hospital which came to light following the rape and murder of trainee doctor.

The CBI's attorney said, "We want to confront both of them," adding that they had proof the now-arrested police officer had spoken with the former principal.

"He arrived at the location at 11 am, and a FIR was filed after 11 pm," the CBI attorney added.

The two were remanded in CBI custody for two days after being brought in court on Sep 15. The next hearing in this case is set for Sep 17.

The delay in filing the FIR has been questioned by both the Supreme Court and the Calcutta High Court.

Fourteen hours after the doctor's body was discovered, the formal complaint in the trainee doctor's rape and murder case was submitted.

The RG Kar administration, which was headed by Ghosh at the time of the incident, was questioned by both courts for the delay and for refusing to make a police complaint at the earliest.

In the course of its month-long investigation, the CBI has made its first arrests in the rape and murder case.

Sanjoy Roy, a volunteer for the community, was first detained by the Kolkata Police and then taken into the custody of the CBI after the Calcutta High Court handed the inquiry to the central agency.

On Aug 9, the semi-clad body of the 31-year-old trainee doctor was discovered in the seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital of Kolkata.

A day after the incident, police detained Sanjay Roy, the main accused. In CCTV footage, Roy was seen entering the building at the approximate time of the incident, and his Bluetooth headphones were discovered close to the scene.

According to the investigation, Roy killed the doctor by suffocating her after seriously injuring and sexually abusing her. A week after the horrific tragedy, the Calcutta High Court gave the CBI control of the investigation in the wake of massive protests and public outrage.