Kolkata: Junior doctors in West Bengal have intensified their protests seeking justice for the victim of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital rape and murder case. On Tuesday, December 24, 2024, doctors led a march from Esplanade to the CGO complex, raising concerns about the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) handling of the case. The protests were sparked by the recent granting of bail to two accused after the CBI failed to file a chargesheet within the statutory 90-day period.
The march, organized by various doctors’ bodies, was halted by police as the protesters attempted to enter the CGO complex. The doctors carried dummy locks with the slogan, “Give justice to Abhaya or put a lock on your doors and go home.” A scuffle ensued between the protesters and police as attempts to break through barricades were made.
Loss of Faith in CBI Dr. Aniket Mahato, a resident doctor from R.G. Kar Medical College, expressed disillusionment with the CBI’s investigation. He questioned, “If the CBI cannot give justice, if they behave like this, if the State police treat us like this, then where will the common man go to seek justice?”
Other protesting doctors alleged that the CBI was protecting the culprits, particularly in the case of former R.G. Kar principal Sandip Ghosh and Tala Thana officer-in-charge Abhijit Mondal. Both individuals were granted bail after being arrested for allegedly misleading evidence and delaying the filing of the FIR.
Parents Seek Fresh Probe Meanwhile, the parents of the 31-year-old victim have petitioned the Calcutta High Court for a fresh investigation into the case, citing a lack of faith in the CBI. On December 24, Justice Tirthankar Ghosh declined to intervene, suggesting that the matter be reviewed by the Calcutta High Court Division Bench and the Supreme Court, as the case is already under their scrutiny.
