The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed an appeal in the Calcutta High Court seeking the death penalty for Sanjay Roy, who was sentenced to "life imprisonment until death" for the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The CBI argued that the crime falls under the "rarest of rare" category deserving capital punishment, while the trial court had ruled otherwise. The West Bengal government has also appealed for the death penalty, but the CBI opposed the state's right to file an appeal, claiming it was the prosecuting agency and therefore had the right to appeal on the grounds of inadequacy of the sentence. The high court will hear the appeals from the CBI, the victim's family, and the convict on January 27.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed poll rallies in West Bengal, promising jobs for youths and an 'infiltrator-free' state if the BJP wins the assembly elections. He also pledged to restore industrial glory, end syndicate raj, and ensure women's safety.
"I cannot take this insult anymore. All the allegations raised against me are false and fabricated. A student movement has been incited to remove me. There is a political mind behind this. I had informed police within an hour of the incident. CCTV footage has been handed over to police," Ghosh said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of playing the 'victim card' and pushing the state towards destruction. He promised to end the TMC's 'syndicate raj' and ensure justice for women if the BJP is voted to power.
Chattopadhyay was seen being taken out of his residence at Subhasgram in South 24 Parganas district around 2 pm by ED officials, who previously conducted search operations at the premises for over seven hours.
Alleging that the West Bengal government headed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has failed to carry out its basic duties to protect the lives and properties of citizens, Governor C V Ananda Bose on Wednesday said that his office is already intervening in the RG Kar impasse under provisions in the Constitution.
Refusing to stop streaming live proceedings in the suo motu case related to the incident, the apex court said it was a matter of public interest and the public must know what is transpiring in the courtroom.
Sanjay Roy, convicted for the rape and murder of an on-duty doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in August 2022, will initially work as a gardener at the Presidency Correctional Home where he is lodged. He will later be trained for other jobs such as tailoring, carpentry, or manufacturing of aluminium utensils. As an unskilled worker, Roy will be paid a daily wage of Rs 105.
'The police could not save my daughter or bring her justice, but they didn't think twice about beating up women and elderly persons.'
Maintaining that other persons were also involved in the crime, the parents of the victim have said that they expect that they will also be arrested and tried before the court.
Family members of a doctor, who was allegedly raped and murdered in Kolkata last month, joined the protesting medics at RG Kar hospital on Wednesday and accused the Kolkata Police of attempting to suppress the case by hurriedly cremating the body of the doctor.
Ghosh was asked to specify his role after getting the news of the death of the doctor, who he had contacted and why he made the parents wait for nearly three hours, he said.
In the state capital Kolkata, civil society members marched from Ramlila Maidan in Moulali to Metro Channel in Esplanade, demanding justice for the victim of the crime that shook the conscience of the nation.
'Healthcare is not an industry.' 'The government is only encouraging insurance as they are not able to provide healthcare to people.' 'Opening new medical colleges is not what is needed.' 'You have to invest in public sector hospitals.' 'You cannot hand over healthcare to the private industry.'
The Kolkata Police on Tuesday began an investigation against RG Kar Medical College and Hospital's former principal Sandip Ghosh for his alleged involvement in 'financial irregularities' in the state-run health facility, a senior officer said.
The MHA said that the law and order situation of all states should be monitored in view of the protests.
The junior doctors called off their 'total cease work' at state-run medical colleges and hospitals around 8.30 pm on Friday but threatened to launch a hunger strike till death if their demands were not met by the West Bengal government within 24 hours.
Agitating junior doctors demanding justice for the deceased woman medic of the Kar Medical College and Hospital and workplace safety continued their hunger strike until death on Sunday in the central part of the Kolkata's Dharmatala area.
Night patrolling on hospital premises and regulating access for people to key areas are among the measures the Centre has asked states to implement to ensure the safety of medics at workplaces, following Supreme Court orders in the rape-murder case of a junior doctor in Kolkata.
A Kolkata court on Saturday convicted prime accused Sanjay Roy of raping and murdering an on-duty doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, 162 days after the crime that sparked nationwide outrage and led to prolonged protests.
Sanjay Roy, the main accused in the alleged rape and murder of an RG Kar Medical College trainee doctor in Kolkata, told his lawyer that he wants to plead "not guilty" in court as he is innocent, according to a report in the Times of India.
'Abhaya Di was one of the best seniors we could have.' 'She secured a seat in chest medicine which is huge in India, where only 10-20 seats are available for the general category.' 'Such a talent was destroyed ruthlessly.'
Banerjee, who also takes care of the home department, said Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal has offered to resign in the wake of the protests but "we need someone who knows law and order ahead of Durga puja".
Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal have written to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting their intervention in the RG Kar hospital impasse.
Long queues were seen at outpatient department ticket counters in government hospitals, where senior doctors joined their junior colleagues in the protest.
The anti-corruption unit of the Central Bureau of Investigation also searched the residences and offices of those engaged in supplying materials for the management and care of patients.
The Mamata Banerjee government will table the anti-rape bill in the West Bengal Assembly on Tuesday.
The Calcutta High Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to submit the case diary initially prepared by the Kolkata Police in connection with the rape-murder of an on-duty doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The court also instructed the CBI to present a list of individuals interviewed in the case at the next hearing scheduled for April 23. The CBI has been investigating the incident since August 13, 2024, when the case was transferred from Kolkata Police. The court noted inconsistencies between the inquest and post-mortem reports, with two injury marks mentioned in the inquest report but absent in the post-mortem report. The CBI is currently investigating whether there was a larger conspiracy behind the crime and if there had been any attempt to destroy evidence.
The ongoing agitation has also led the Federation of All India Medical Association to warn that it would declare a nationwide "complete shutdown of medical services" if any "any harm befalls brave junior doctors".
Although no fresh arrests were reported in the case, the Central Bureau of Investigation continued with its questioning of top officials of the RG Kar Hospital.
Terming the alleged non-cooperation of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government as an example "symptomatic of a systemic malaise", the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has sought a direction to West Bengal authorities to extend full cooperation to the CISF.
FORDA said the decision to end the strike, effective from Wednesday morning, was made in the interest of patient welfare.
A late-night bus accident in Delhi, allegedly caused by reckless driving, resulted in two fatalities and numerous injuries, raising concerns about road safety and driver negligence.
Police delayed seizing the clothes of Sanjay Roy, an accused in the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College, for two days though his role had been established on August 10, a day after the crime, Central Bureau of Investigation officials said on Wednesday.
Four junior doctors are among those summoned by Kolkata police for questioning on Tuesday in connection with the murder and alleged sexual assault case of a second year postgraduate student at a government-run hospital in Kolkata last week.
Sanjoy Roy, the accused in the rape and murder of a doctor at R G Kar hospital in Kolkata, was sentenced to life imprisonment till death on Monday. His mother, Malati Roy, who had previously expressed support for the punishment, shut herself in her home and refused to speak to reporters. Neighbors and family members of Roy have questioned whether he acted alone in the crime, suggesting others may have been involved.
A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, which had taken cognisance of the incident, has kept the matter on top of the cause list for hearing at 10:30 am on Tuesday.
A team of senior Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers, who reached Kolkata on Wednesday morning, began its investigation into the alleged rape and murder of a woman doctor at a state-run hospital in West Bengal, officials said.
A team of polygraph specialists flown to Kolkata from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Delhi is conducting the tests, they said.
A special court in Kolkata on Thursday allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a polygraph test on former RG Kar Medical College principal Sandip Ghosh and four other doctors in connection with the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee at the hospital, officials said.
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