Kolkata rape-murder case highlights: Protesting junior doctors turn down govt invite for talks

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Enforcement Directorate (ED) revealed that the wife of Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital ex-principal Sandip Ghosh had two immovable properties without the permission of the West Bengal government.

In an official statement, the agency shared details of the raids conducted by its Kolkata unit on September 6 at seven premises including the residence of Ghosh and his close relatives and associates in connection with the financial irregularities case. Read more

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Agitating junior doctors blamed the tenor of invite for rejecting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s offer for talks at the state secretariat.

“The language of the communication is not only disrespectful to us doctors, it’s downright insensitive. We find no reason to reply to this mail,” Dr Debasish Halder, a leader of the protesting doctors who organised a sit-in before the state health department headquarters at Swasthya Bhavan in Salt Lake, said.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: West Bengal Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya claimed that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee waited for over an hour anticipating a positive response from junior doctors agitating in front of the health ministry.

“At 6.10 pm, an email was sent to them (the protesting doctors) by Principal Secretary Health requesting 10 of them to come to Nabanna and to talk to the supreme authority of the state administration. Till 7.30 pm, our CM waited but nothing came from the end of the agitating doctors. Therefore at 7.30pm, she left the premises. She has always been requesting the junior doctors to come back to their services because this is a service for the common people and they should not be deprived, but we find that it has not been done", the minister said. (PTI)

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Protesting junior doctors turned down the state government's invite for talks saying the manner of invite and the condition for talks was not acceptable.

In addition to getting an email invite from the health secretary, who they are demanding to be sacked, the doctors said the officials could have addressed them directly in front of the health ministry.

Doctors also said the invite does not address hundreds of female doctors who are staging a sit-in. The government seeking a delegation of not more than ten people was also not acceptable to the protesting doctors. (PTI)

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: In a move to break the impasse, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee invited agitating junior doctors for a meeting at the state secretariat.

However, the doctors said they felt insulted after getting a mail inviting them for the meeting from the state health secretary, whose resignation they are demanding. (PTI)

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Protesting junior doctors in Kolkata said they too wanted normalcy, and the state should accept their demands.

The doctors are seeking 'feedback' from the CBI to know the accused Sanjay Roy's motive behind the crime. They are also seeking to know if there are any more people involved.

“We also want normalcy, but our demand is legitimate, so the state should accept this demand and if it is accepted, then only we will resume work. Our demand is the arrest of all culprits, a disciplinary action committee formed by the health ministry, and suspension of Sandip Ghosh”, a doctor told ANI.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: TMC leader Shatrughan Sinha defended Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee saying she took immediate action after the rape and murder of a female doctor on August 9. He also said the “police worked with maturity and arrested the accused in a timely manner”.

“Some people are asking for the resignations of Bengal Police Commissioner and Mamata Banerjee, but why? If action was not taken then this would have been justified”, Sinha told PTI.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: The ruling Trinamool Congress accused the state BJP of running a cover-up campaign to hide the alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl by a BJP worker in Cooch Behar's Mekhilganj.

“@SuvenduWB and his VULTURES flocked to Mathabhanga to cash in on public sentiment. But we will not allow BJP to get away with raping girls in Mekhliganj by running cover-up campaigns elsewhere. They're wolves in sheep's clothing, ready to prey on the vulnerable while pretending to be saviours”, the party posted on X.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: As their 5 pm deadline to the state government lapsed, protesting junior doctors assemble in front of Swasthya Bhavan to start their sit-in protest.

"We will continue with the cease work as our demands are not fulfilled. We had asked the state government to remove the Kolkata Police Commissioner, health secretary, director of health services and the director of medical education by 5 PM. We are open to discussion," one of the agitating doctors told PTI.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Protesting junior doctors reached the health ministry's Swasthya Bhavan to press ahead with their demands. Doctors said they would not resume their duties unless their concerns are addressed in concrete measures by the state government.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: The RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has issued a notice to 51 doctors for promoting a culture of intimidation and endangering the democratic atmosphere of the institution. They have been asked to appear before the enquiry committee on September 11.

The doctors have to prove their innocence before the committee and their entry to the premises would be restricted unless summoned for enquiry, the notice issued by the hospital authority said.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: A CBI court has sent Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College, to judicial custody until September 23. Ghosh is facing charges related to financial irregularities during his tenure at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The court also sent Ghosh's security personnel Afsar Ali and two alleged associates, contractors Vendors Biplab Sinha and Suman Hazra, to judicial custody till September 23. The CBI told the court that it would seek their custody again if required.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Junior doctors marching to the health ministry's Swasthya Bhawan said they would stage a dharna in front of the premises if the state government does not accept their demands by 5 pm.

However, the doctors reiterated that they are open to any kind of discussion with the state government.

Replicating the symbolism of gifting a model spine to the police commissioner, the protesters showcased brooms and even a model brain, in their bid to "clean up" the state health sector and make the top brass "think" about the plight of the doctors.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Ahead of the Supreme Court's 5 pm deadline to resume work, junior doctors in Kolkata began their march to the health ministry in Kolkata.

Police have put up barricades to prevent any potential threats to law-and-order situation.

The protesting doctors have set the same 5 pm deadline for the state government to accept their demands

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: The ruling Trinamool Congress continued to post stories of people who are allegedly suffering due to lack of medical care.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: After the SC hearing on Monday, many junior doctors in Kolkata said verbal assurances don't make them feel safe to resume work.

Their demands include the following

-identification of and appropriate legal action against all possible culprits involved in the rape and murder as well as against those who are involved in the alleged tampering of evidence.

-Disciplinary action against former R.G Kar principal Sandip Kumar Ghosh by the West Bengal Medical Council following his suspension and resignation of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal.

-tightened security for all healthcare workers in hospitals and health centres.

-an end to the alleged ‘threat culture’ in all State-run hospitals and medical colleges across West Bengal.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: As the case of the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar hospital in Kolkata marks a month, protests continue to rage across West Bengal as people continue to reel from the horrific crime.

People have called for the resignation of chief minister Mamata Banerjee as well as chief of Kolkata police Vineet Goyal due to allegations of mishandling the case and tampering with evidence.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has denied the allegations and stated that these were conspiracies by the central government and Left parties to destabilise her government.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) released a statement on Monday expressing disappointment at the Supreme Court's order asking protesting doctors to resume work.

In an official statement, the IMA said, “We were expecting a positive outcome keeping in mind the brutality of the offense. However, we are totally disheartened by the proceedings of the court and CBI.”

They stated that there was no attempt to ensure speedy justice and added that, “We were even more disheartened to learn that Hon'ble Supreme Court has asked the junior doctors, who are the forerunners of this protest to return to work by 5pm tomorrow. Our junior colleagues are protesting for a speedy and fair justice for the heinous crime against Abhaya and also fighting against the health syndicate so that this sort of crime and corruption. never happen in future.”

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has defended keping Vineet Goyal as the Kolkata police commissioner, amid calls for him to step down due to allegations of mishandling the case of a trainee doctor's rape and murder at RG Kar hospital on August 9.

"Kolkata Commissioner of Police, Vineet Goyal, offered to resign after RG Kar protests, but we need someone who knows law and order ahead of Durga Puja," she said.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal on Tuesday criticised the INDIA alliance parties for their silence on the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar hospital.

"In this matter, not only Mamata Banerjee but also the INDI Alliance is entirely responsible, as no party has yet spoken a single word in support of the victim," he said.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: The Trinamool Congress has once again requested the protesting doctors to resume work and have asked them to remember their duty to save lives.

In a post on X, the party said, “One tragedy after another - the human cost of doctors abstaining from their duty is mounting. This time, a man from Haripal, Hooghly, lost his life after being denied the treatment he desperately needed.”

They added, "We have always acknowledged the concerns behind the protests, but how many more lives must be lost before the medical fraternity rises to the occasion and fulfills its duty?"

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Members of the Indian diaspora have organised protests in 25 countries across more than 130 cities to demand justice for the victim in the RG Kar case.

The case has also sparked protests nationwide with junior doctors still on strike, demanding safety and the resignation of the state health minister, the chief minister and the chief of Kolkata police, for allegedly mishandling the case.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: TMC MP Shatrughan Sinha has defended chief minister Mamata Banerjee, stating that no CM can be held responsible in such a case.

Referring to the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, the TMC MP and actor said that, “ This matter is under the watch of the Supreme Court and the CBI is investigating this, so is it appropriate to say anything about it? I want to say not just for Mamata Banerjee but for any Chief Minister that a Chief Minister can not be held responsible for such a crime.”