In the RG Kar hospital rape-murder case, the trial court judge sharply criticized the police and hospital authorities for their careless handling of the investigation. The judge stated that the police showed an indifferent attitude towards the case, highlighting delays in filing the FIR and lapses in evidence collection. He called for accountability and better handling of such sensitive cases. The verdict has ignited serious concerns about safety and justice in public institutions.
Kolkata: Trial court judge Anirban Das strongly criticized the Kolkata Police for their handling of the RG Kar hospital rape-murder case. He questioned why the FIR was registered only after 11:30 PM, even though the incident was reported earlier on the same day in August last year.
The judge questioned the intention of the hospital authorities for allegedly trying to “suppress” the incident, holding both the police and hospital officials accountable for forcing the victim’s father to “run from pillar to post to get relief and to lodge the complaint.”
Also Read: BREAKING | RG Kar Rape: Court Sentenced Sanjoy Roy To LIFE IMPRISONMENT
Regarding the accused, Roy, the judge noted that he seemed to have entered the seminar room on a sudden impulse driven by lust. While Roy admitted to consuming alcohol before entering the hospital, he failed to provide credible evidence that he did not go to the seminar room.
The judge stated,
“The prosecution produced strong evidence regarding his entry in the seminar room.”
He further remarked that it appeared the victim was not Roy’s intended target, and the crime was not premeditated.
Judge Das also expressed disbelief at the actions of a sub-inspector from the Tala Police Station, highlighting that the seizure and initiation of the unnatural death case were recorded in the GD book after 11:30 PM on August 9.
He pointed out discrepancies in the sub-inspector’s testimony, noting,
“This evidence…is an eye-opener that police stations are treating the cases in a very indifferent manner.”
He was particularly taken aback by the officer’s admission of such irregularities.
Additionally, the judge criticized the negligence displayed by a senior officer of the rank of Additional OC, who left the convict’s mobile phone unattended at the police station.
Questioning the rationale behind returning the phone to the accused while he was under police detention. He remarked,
“I did not find any reason behind this act of the said officer,”
Judge Anirban Das emphasized that the Kolkata Police Commissioner must take stringent action against the “illegal/indifferent acts of police personnel” and ensure that officers receive adequate training on investigations, particularly in cases relying on circumstantial, electronic, and scientific evidence.
He remarked,
“On perusal of the evidences, I am of the view that if the officers of Tala PS would take proper initiative by applying their intellect at the very first time, the matter would not become so complicated. I am sorry to comment that the officers of Tala PS showed a very indifferent attitude from the very inception.”
The judge also criticized the hospital authorities for their initial attempts to label the crime as a “suicide.” He expressed little doubt that there were efforts from the authorities to portray the death as suicidal to shield the hospital from potential repercussions.
He stated,
“From the case record, it appears that the said illegal dream of the authority was not fulfilled as the junior doctors raised protests and submitted a memorandum to the principal. At that time, police force started their action, but it caused sufficient delay, probably preventing the victim’s parents from seeing their daughter. I condemn such attitude of the RG Kar hospital authority,”
Questioning the motives of the then principal, Dr. Sandip Ghosh, and former MSVP Dr. Sanjay Basisth, Das wondered why the hospital authorities initially withheld information about the victim’s murder from the police.
He noted,
“The said act of the administrative head of the concerned hospital creates a shadow of doubt about the fact, and it seems that they wanted to suppress anything and that there was dereliction of duty on their part.”
Despite these shortcomings, the court concluded that they did not significantly undermine the prosecution’s case.
He affirmed,
“I am of the view that the prosecution correctly discharged the burden and placed sufficient evidence to establish the guilt of this accused,”
On August 9 last year, a 31-year-old junior doctor was raped and murdered at the state-run RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata. Her body was discovered in the hospital’s seminar room. The incident sparked nationwide outrage and led to prolonged protests by junior doctors in West Bengal, demanding justice and improved security at government hospitals.
The trial began on November 11, three months after the incident, in a Kolkata court. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which took over the case from the Kolkata Police following a directive from the Calcutta High Court, has sought the “maximum punishment” for Roy. The trial concluded on January 9.
Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer with Kolkata Police, was convicted on Saturday for the rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The crime, which occurred on August 9, triggered nationwide outrage over women’s safety. The verdict, delivered by Anirban Das, Additional District and Sessions Judge of the Sealdah court, came 57 days after the in-camera trial commenced on November 12.