The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday (January 21, 2025) accused the Kolkata police and the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital administration of “collusion” with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in order to “cover up” the gruesome rape and murder of a junior woman doctor last year.
The BJP’s IT cell head Amit Malviya accused Ms. Banerjee of seeking to “destroy evidence, set up someone pliable to take the blame, and protect influential individuals, linked to the [Trinamool Congress] TMC, who were responsible for this gruesome crime”, and called for a thorough investigation into the alleged “collusion”.
Ms. Banerjee had earlier remarked that the Kolkata police would have ensured that the man convicted of the crime was sentenced to death if the case had not been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation. In response, Mr. Malviya said in a post on X: “We cannot let Mamata Banerjee get away with her sanctimonious sermons on the rape and murder of the young woman trainee doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital.”
‘Police cover-up’
Citing the court judgment, he alleged that “on instructions of the Chief Minister, Kolkata police and the hospital administration were involved in covering up the gruesome crime”.
He summarised the court’s observations highlighting “significant lapses in the investigation” during its initial stages. “Fabrication of records: PW-24 made an unauthorised entry in the General Diary (GD No. 542 dated 09.08.2024) at 10:10 am, despite not being present at the police station at that time. Delayed complaint filing: the victim’s parents were inexplicably made to wait until 6:00 pm to lodge their complaint, raising concerns about the police’s initial reluctance or negligence,” he said, listing the issues.
The court also criticised Inspector Rupali Mukherjee (PW-49), the Additional Officer-in-Charge of the Women Grievance Cell, for “mishandling of evidence”. It observed that she had taken the accused’s mobile phone on August 9, 2024, and left it unattended at the Tala police station. “Although there’s no evidence of tampering, her actions are questionable, especially since the accused remained in police custody throughout this period,” the BJP leader said.
The judgment, Mr. Malviya said, also made observations about “superficial investigation”, saying that “PW-50 did not conduct a thorough investigation but merely compiled existing evidence without delving deeper into the case”.
‘Negligence and collusion’
The BJP leader said the court had emphasised that the investigative shortcomings should not undermine the prosecution’s case. “Citing the Supreme Court’s ruling in Munna Lal & Sheo Lal vs. State of UP (Criminal Appeal Nos. 490 and 491 of 2017), it was noted that defects in the investigative process do not automatically lead to acquittal. Courts must assess whether the evidence presented is reliable, despite investigative lapses,” he said.
“In conclusion, the court criticised the indifferent attitude of the Tala police station officers and the hospital authority, stating that their negligence and perfunctory investigation cannot invalidate the prosecution’s evidence. The court remains committed to uncovering the truth and ensuring that the guilty are held accountable,” said Mr. Malviya, citing the judgment.
“This is exactly what Mamata Banerjee wanted — destroy evidence, set up someone pliable to take the blame, and protect influential individuals, linked to the TMC, who were responsible for this gruesome crime. Justice will never be served unless the West Bengal Chief Minister is voted out of power and the collusion between the then Commissioner of Kolkata Police and Mamata Banerjee is thoroughly investigated,” said the BJP leader.
Published – January 21, 2025 08:17 pm IST