Protest erupts in Kolkata after ex-RG Kar Hospital principal, police officer get bail in doctor's rape-murder case

Protests erupted in Kolkata after the High Court granted bail on Dec 13 to Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, and Abhijit Mondal, the former officer-in-charge of Tala police station after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) failed to submit the chargesheet within the 90 days.

The parents of the 31-year-old trainee doctor, who was raped and murdered, along with various doctors’ associations and political workers, led a protest rally at Salt Lake on Dec 14 demanding justice for the victim.

“We don’t know what the CBI is planning. We are, however, not losing hope. We will fight till the end to get justice. The legal battle and the fight on the streets will continue in parallel,” the victim’s father told reporters.

Separately, the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front (WBJDF) held a protest rally from Karunamoyee to the CBI’s office at the CGO complex in Salt Lake.

“Today, men like Ghosh have been granted bail. Tomorrow, he may be reinstated in a reputed medical college. We will remain on the roads until we get justice. We had faith in the CBI, but what is the agency doing?” Debasish Halder, a member of the WBJDF was quoted as saying.

The Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) [SUCI(C)] also organized a protest march along the same route in the evening.

“We will submit a deputation to the CBI, but it will be just a blank paper because we are all shocked and left speechless. We had a lot of expectations, but the CBI has done nothing,” Chandidas Bhattacharya, SUCI(C) leader told reporters.

Congress workers staged a demonstration outside the Nizam Palace, where the CBI has another wing, and the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) also held a protest rally in central Kolkata.

The Joint Platform of Doctors, an umbrella body of various organizations, held a rally at Esplanade on November 14 afternoon and announced that doctors, health workers, and citizens from all walks of life would soon take to the streets.

“We are disappointed and angry. We will soon hit the streets in protest. We want to send a message to the state government and the federal agency that they need to do everything to ensure the girl gets justice,” Dr Utpal Banerjee, a member of the Joint Platform of Doctors was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, the Service Doctors’ Forum (SDF) has sent a letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seeking her intervention. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was appearing for the CBI, told the bench of the Chief Justice of India on Tuesday that the Bengal government had not granted its sanction for the federal agency’s request for prosecution proceedings against Ghosh and Mondal.

“We urge you to ensure that all those involved in the horrific incident of rape and murder at RG Kar Medical College, as well as those who attempted to suppress evidence, are brought to justice swiftly,” the letter read.

The SDF’s letter also demanded exemplary action against state government officials who refused to give the CBI permission to initiate proceedings against Ghosh and Mondal.

Senior lawyer Vrinda Grover, who was representing the victim’s family has withdrawn from the high-profile case too. “We have already held talks with another advocate. We will continue to fight,” said the victim’s father.