Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder Case: BJP accuses Mamata govt of crime scene mismanagement, police deny allegations

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday sharply criticised the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government, alleging that the administration allowed unauthorised individuals to access the crime scene, resulting in evidence tampering in the suspected rape and murder case of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

The BJP took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a video purportedly showing people entering the crime scene. The party questioned, "While the victim’s parents were made to wait for hours, how did outsiders manage to enter the seminar hall?"

The BJP further accused the Bengal administration of deliberately tampering with evidence under orders from higher authorities, calling it a "shameful" act.



In response to the BJP's allegations, Kolkata Police swiftly issued a statement refuting the claims. Deputy Commissioner Indira Mukherjee clarified that the crime scene in question was the seminar hall on the third floor of RG Kar Hospital. She stated that social media and some news channels had circulated a video showing individuals standing in an area they claimed to be inside the seminar hall, alleging that evidence had been tampered with and the area was not properly cordoned off by the police.

Mukherjee explained that the seminar hall, a room measuring 51 ft by 32 ft, was immediately cordoned off using hospital curtains when the body was discovered. She asserted that no one was allowed to enter within 40 feet of the body, except for designated personnel, including the investigating officer, forensic officials, police officers, the photography and videography team, and those tasked with moving the body. She further clarified that the video in question depicted an area 11 feet outside the cordon and that no unauthorised individuals were allowed near the scene.

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has intensified its investigation into the alleged rape and murder of the postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College. The agency is also probing potential financial irregularities at the institution, particularly concerning the procurement of materials for patient care.

The incident, which took place on August 9, led to the arrest of a Kolkata Police civic volunteer and sparked widespread protests by doctors and citizens. Following these developments, the Calcutta High Court directed the CBI to investigate both the murder and the alleged financial misconduct at the hospital.

Inputs from TOI