RG Kar rape-murder: Calcutta HC seeks CBI’s response on plea for fresh probe (Lead)

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Kolkata, Dec 19 (IANS) The Calcutta High Court on Thursday sought the response of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the plea filed earlier in the day, seeking a fresh probe in the ghastly rape and murder of a junior woman doctor of state-run R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata within the hospital premises in August.

In their petition, the victim’s parents have claimed that they are highly unsatisfied with the present course of investigation by the CBI in the matter, a single-judge bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh has directed the central agency to submit its point of view on the matter to the court.

The next hearing on the matter has been scheduled for December 24 and before that, the CBI will have to submit its response and report to Justice Ghosh’s bench.

According to the parents, since the trial process in the matter has already started and the statements of the witnesses are being recorded, unless the Calcutta High Court intervenes in the matter right now, there might be possibilities of the probe going in the wrong direction.

Since the time a special court in Kolkata last week granted default bail to two individuals accused of tampering with the evidence since the CBI was unable to file a supplementary charge sheet against them within 90 days from the day of their arrest, the victim’s parents, as well as the representatives of the state’s medical fraternity, had been accusing the CBI of gross incompetence in the matter.

The CBI has come under scathing criticism because of its failure to submit the supplementary charge sheet against former and controversial Principal of R.G. Kar Sandip Ghosh and the former SHO of Tala Police Station Abhijit Mondal. Following its failure to submit the charge sheet within the stipulated period, both Ghosh and Mondal were granted default bail in the case by a special court in Kolkata last week.

While Ghosh continues to be behind bars because of the parallel probe by the CBI against him in the case of financial irregularities at R.G. Kar, Mondal is already out on bail.

Recently, the victim’s parents have also changed their counsel representing them at the Supreme Court.

The West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front, an umbrella of the body of junior doctors in the state spearheading the movement on this issue, has already threatened to resume their protests which they withdrew earlier keeping the larger public interest in mind.

–IANS

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Tejashwi Yadav questions Nitish Kumar over expensive Mahila Samvad Yatra

Patna Dec 11 (IANS) Tejashwi Yadav, the former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, criticised Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday, ahead of his Mahila Samvad Yatra, questioning the substantial allocation of Rs 225.78 crore for the initiative.

The Mahila Samvad Yatra is scheduled to begin on December 15 in Bagaha, West Champaran, and will span 15 days during which Nitish Kumar will interact with women and children across Bihar’s districts.

Yadav’s critique centred on the financial outlay, framing it as an extravagant use of taxpayer’s money.

He remarked, “Money makes business deals, not dialogue. For communication, it requires love, not money.”

He further questioned how such a massive expenditure for a 15-day event, accusing the government of using public funds for political endeavours.

The significant budget allocation has drawn sharp scrutiny from the Opposition, with claims that the initiative may prioritise optics over meaningful outcomes. However, the Bihar government has defended the yatra as a platform to strengthen dialogue with women and address their concerns at the grassroots level.

Tejashwi Yadav accused the Chief Minister of prioritising an “expensive election picnic” over addressing the state’s pressing issues when it is grappling with chronic challenges.

“In the last 20 years, unemployment, migration, inflation, crime, and massive corruption have increased drastically. Bihar remains a backward state, yet the Chief Minister of such a state is going on an expensive election picnic,” he said.

Highlighting failures of governance during Nitish Kumar’s tenure, Yadav pointed to incidents like the destruction of bridges and culverts due to poor planning, lives lost in recurring hooch tragedies, alleged corruption in smart metre projects, and the failure of the liquor prohibition law.

Yadav also criticised the lack of tangible outcomes for women and children on the ground, stating, “There is nothing concrete for women and children, yet he is ready to expend billions of rupees through bureaucrats.”

–IANS

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FIR filed against accused who tried to attack K’taka BJP MLC Ravi  

Bengaluru, Dec 23 (IANS) Karnataka Police have filed an FIR against the accused who tried to attack BJP MLC C.T. Ravi in the corridors of the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi, police said on Monday.

The accused had attempted to attack C.T. Ravi in the wake of an alleged objectionable statement against State Minister for Women and Child Welfare Lakshmi Hebbalkar. The incident took place on December 19 at Belagavi Suvarna Vidhana Soudha.

The complaint was registered in this regard with the Hirebagewadi police station in Belagavi by C.T. Ravi. However, the police had registered it as a miscellaneous case.

BJP MLC D.S. Arun and Prof. S.V. Sankanura had lodged the complaint with the Chairman of the Legislative Council Basavaraj Horatti alleging the attack on C.T. Ravi by supporters of Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar.

BJP MLC Kishore Kumar Puttur who was present at the time of the attack had also lodged a separate complaint with Chairman Horatti in this regard.

Ravi had repeatedly alleged that his complaint regarding the attack on him was never registered by the police.

Sources confirmed that the complaint has been registered under BNS 189(2) (unlawful assembly is a group of five or more people who have a common goal to commit an illegal act), 191(2) (rioting) 190 (unlawful assembly with the prosecution of common object), 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 352 (intentionally insult others to provoke a breach of the peace or other offence), 351(2) (criminal intimidation) against the accused.

Talking to IANS, BJP MLC Kishore Kumar Puttur stated that he had lodged a complaint in this regard with the Council Chairman and he has yet to get updates about the progress.

“The attackers who were detained by the police in the morning were seen talking to television channels in the evening. The BJP would have never allowed the occurrence of such an incident if it was in power. I doubt any police action under the Congress government as it will be in favour of the ruling government,” MLC Puttur stated.

“The attackers had directly threatened me with life and challenged me that I will face consequences,” he stated.

Chaos and drama unfolded last Thursday as, during a heated debate session in the Legislative Council, C.T. Ravi allegedly referred to Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, as a “drug addict”.

Taking objection to the remarks, Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar slammed Ravi, and called him a “murderer”. Responding back, the BJP leader allegedly used derogatory words against the woman Minister.

“Regarding the allegations, the Speaker has given a ruling. I’ve already shared this with the media and won’t elaborate further… Our words are known to our conscience and the Almighty,” Ravi had stated.

–IANS

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