RG Kar doctor's rape-murder: Former cop, ex-principal get bail

THE SEALDAH court on Friday granted bail to former officer-in-charge of Tala police station Abhijit Mondal and RG Kar hospital ex-principal Sandip Ghosh in the rape and murder case of an on-duty doctor at the medical facility.

The additional chief judicial magistrate (ACJM) granted bail to the two accused persons as the chargesheet against them was not filed within the mandatory 90-day period, a lawyer representing Ghosh said.

The court granted bail to Ghosh and Mondal on bail bonds of ₹2,000 each and directed them to cooperate with the investigation.

While Mondal was accused of alleged delay in filing of FIR in the case, Ghosh was charged with tampering of evidence.

The post-graduate trainee was raped and murdered, and her body was found in the seminar room of the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.

Ghosh and Mondal were arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is investigating the case on an order of the Calcutta High Court.

Mondal's lawyer told reporters outside the court that he will walk out of the correctional home where he is incarcerated on judicial remand.

Ghosh, who is on judicial remand in another case of alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar hospital, will, however, remain behind bars despite being granted bail in the rape-murder case.

Earlier in the day, they were produced before the court of ACJM Arijit Mondal under heavy police security.

During the hearing, lawyers for the two accused prayed before the judge that they be granted bail, as the CBI could not submit chargesheet against them within the statutory period of 90 days.

The CBI submitted that investigation in the case was in progress.

The central probe agency has, however, filed a chargesheet against the prime accused, Sanjay Roy, in the rape-murder case.

In the chargesheet filed before a special CBI court here, it said that Roy, who was working as a civic volunteer with the local police, allegedly committed the crime on August 9 when the medic had gone to sleep in the hospital's seminar room during a break.

Parents heartbroken

Expressing disappointment, the parents of the doctor who was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital said on Friday that they were heartbroken with the two key suspects in the case getting bail and it seemed like the "system" was failing them.

"We thought the CBI would speed up the investigation and bring those responsible to justice. But now, with the accused being granted bail, it feels like the system is failing us," said the mother of the victim whose body was found in the hospital on August 9.

"Every day, we wonder if this will be another case in which the powerful escape without punishment," she said.

"We are heartbroken. We trusted the CBI to deliver justice, but now we are left wondering if we will ever see justice for our daughter," said the victim's father.

Junior doctors disappointed

The junior doctors, who led a months-long protest over the rape and murder of the medic at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, expressed disappointment with the CBI investigation into the case on Friday after two key suspects got bail.

"We are extremely disappointed with the pace with which the CBI is handling this case," said junior doctor Aniket Mahato, a leading face of the protests that rocked the state.

"The system has failed us, and the accused have been allowed to go free due to the sluggishness of the investigation. This delay in justice is a slap on the face of all those who have been fighting for accountability," he added.

Mahato said they were firm in their resolve for justice. "We are not backing down," he said.

"The CBI's inaction has only fueled our frustration. We will decide our next course of action soon and continue our fight for justice," he added.

The junior doctors started their demonstration after the body of their colleague was found at the RG Kar hospital on August 9.

Following 50 days of cease work that paralysed the state's healthcare system, they went on hunger strike on October 5 amid the Durga Puja festival, demanding justice.

The hunger strike was called off on October 24 after chief minister Mamata Banerjee met them. (PTI)