The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has ruled out the possibility of gangrape in the death of a Kolkata doctor last month, according to sources. The investigation points solely to Sanjay Roy, who had already been arrested by the police, as the sole perpetrator in the horrific rape and murder that took place at RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata.
Sources reveal that the inquiry, handed to the CBI by the Kolkata High Court, is nearing completion, and the agency is expected to file charges soon. The court had transferred the case to the CBI, overriding West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s earlier stance, in response to public and political pressure.
Chief Minister Banerjee, who is facing criticism from opposition parties and civil society activists over the handling of the case, recently expressed frustration over the investigation’s progress. “I asked for five days for the police to probe, but the case was sent to CBI. They don’t want justice; they want delay. It has been 16 days, where is justice?” she remarked.
State Minister Bratya Basu echoed similar concerns, demanding transparency from the CBI. “Twenty-three days have passed since the case was transferred, yet there is no progress report. We demand a detailed report. When Kolkata Police was investigating, regular updates were provided through press conferences,” he stated.
The CBI, however, has been actively working on the case, having sent a medical report, including DNA samples from the accused, to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi for further examination. The agency is awaiting the final medical opinion before concluding the investigation.
The inquiry has already led to over 100 statements being recorded, and 10 polygraph tests conducted, including two on former hospital chief Dr. Sandip Ghosh. Sources indicate that the CBI has no reason to believe that others were involved in the rape and murder, despite multiple conspiracy theories and claims of gangrape.
Dr. Ghosh, who resigned from his post at RG Kar Hospital after the killing, was arrested earlier this week by the CBI—not in connection with the murder, but over alleged financial misconduct during his tenure. His arrest stems from a petition filed by a former hospital employee, Akhtar Ali, accusing Dr. Ghosh of various irregularities, including selling unclaimed corpses, trafficking biomedical waste, and accepting bribes for medical tenders. Three other individuals, including a security guard, have also been arrested in connection with these allegations.
Since his arrest, Dr. Ghosh has been suspended by both the Bengal government and the state doctors’ association. He had already faced suspension by the Indian Medical Association. CBI officers raided Dr. Ghosh’s Kolkata residence again today as part of the ongoing investigation.
The CBI is expected to submit a status report to the Calcutta High Court on September 17. The case, which has gained national and international attention, has sparked outrage from medical professionals, gender rights activists, and opposition parties, including the BJP and Congress in Bengal.
The doctor’s family has also made troubling claims, alleging that the police attempted to bribe them to cover up the case, accusations the police have vehemently denied. Her parents also claimed they were forced to cremate their daughter’s body against their wishes, stating they were surrounded by about 300 police officers, which created an intense situation. The state government has strongly refuted these claims, accusing the opposition of spreading false information.
The killing has led to protests and demonstrations across the country, some of which turned violent, including an Independence Day protest on August 15 in Kolkata, where demonstrators stormed the hospital campus and reportedly vandalized the seminar room where the doctor’s body was discovered.
In response to the nationwide outcry, the Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the crime, with a hearing currently underway before a bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud.
