Kolkata rape-murder case Highlights: SC appointed national task force's first meeting tomorrow

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: The National Task Force, constituted by the Supreme Court against the backdrop of the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, has convened its first meeting on August 27, according to official sources.

As per the sources, the meeting is expected to be attended by all the members of the National Task Force. The NTF will make recommendations to ensure the safety and security of medical professionals at their workplace.

National Task Force member Dr Saumitra Rawat earlier told ANI that the top court has asked the task force to file an interim report within three weeks and the final report within two months.

PTI

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Union minister and West Bengal BJP president Sukanata Majumdar said, "I have said it from the protesting site yesterday to light a candle in her name, our party workers will do this. I have started this at her home with her family for the peace of the departed soul and justice for the deceased... The video that has come up today, shows how the crime scene has been trampled... I don't think any evidence would be there. A case should be registered against those who can be seen in that video for tampering with evidence. CBI is taking time and it has to conduct polygraph tests and all as the evidence has been tampered with..."

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Union minister and West Bengal BJP president Sukanata Majumdar meets the family members of the victim of RG Kar Medical College & Hospital rape-murder incident

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Chhatra Samaj spokesperson Sayan Lahiri said, "The claims made by the TMC and police are baseless. We aim to raise our demands peacefully. If we are stopped, we will attempt to proceed to the state secretariat, Nabanna, gate in a non-violent manner to demand the CM's resignation due to her failure to prevent incidents like the RG Kar case, which has shocked the nation."

Lahiri clarified that the rallies, which will start from College Square, Fort William, and Santragachhi at noon and move towards Nabanna, is organised by an apolitical platform with no affiliations to the BJP, RSS, or ABVP.

He noted, "We have informed police about the rally via email and discussed it with senior officers multiple times. The allegations that our rally is illegal are untrue."

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh on Monday claimed that Ram (BJP) and CPI (M) (Left) parties are all coming together to create anarchy against TMC and West Bengal over the Kolkata woman doctor rape and murder incident.

"BJP, CPM and Congress are all one. BJP is doing Nabanna movement, Congress is supporting it and whatever CPM says, but they are talking about the protest...Ram-Left are all coming together to create anarchy against TMC & West Bengal," Ghosh told ANI.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: The West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) on Monday took suo motu cognisance of a viral video on social media in which a man was seen purportedly announcing a ₹10 crore reward for "raping" the minor daughter of a top TMC leader, and urged the police to take immediate action.

WBCPCR claimed that the man seen in the video, which could not be independently verified by PTI, was a resident of Malancha in Minakhan block of North 24 Parganas district.

"While the entire state is mourning the sad demise of the doctor at RG Kar Hosptial, calling for another rape to settle scores is clearly violative of the law and could send out a dangerous message to society if punitive measures are not taken. This can put not just the minor girl in question but all minor girls at risk," it said.

"The commission requests the police to arrest the culprits and give adequate protection to the minor in question," it added.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Rina Das, president of Bhadrakali Bouthan Sangha in Hooghly, explained, "We have decided to boycott this grant this year to honour the sentiments of our members who are deeply upset over the brutal attack on the postgraduate trainee doctor at her workplace. We had received this grant for several years in the past."

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: s calls for justice for the RG Kar victim intensify, several Durga Puja committees in West Bengal have rejected the ₹85,000 honorarium offered by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee saying they cannot accept help from the government when women have taken to the streets demanding security.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: The CBI on Monday began a second round of polygraph tests on former RG Kar Medical College and Hospital principal Sandip Ghosh and five others as part of their investigation into the rape and murder of a woman doctor at the institution.

An officer reported that Ghosh provided inconsistent answers during questioning over the past 10 days, leading to the decision to conduct additional polygraph tests.

The CBI had initially conducted lie-detection tests on Ghosh and the others on Saturday, and tested arrested accused Sanjay Roy at the Presidency Correctional Home on Sunday.

In addition to the murder investigation, Ghosh and former medical superintendent and vice-principal Sanjay Vashisth are also under investigation for alleged financial irregularities at the institute.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: The CBI has filed a corruption FIR against RG Kar Hospital's former principal, Sandip Ghosh, and charged him under non-bailable sections.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: "It’s good that PM Modi said this, but in Madhya Pradesh, the 'Ladli Behna' scheme has been discontinued, and funds are no longer being deposited into women’s accounts. Are the women there not 'Ladli Behna'? In Maharashtra, with elections approaching, he suddenly remembers 'Ladli Behna' and women," said Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar in response to PM Modi's remarks that crimes against women are an unpardonable sin.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Kolkata Assistant Police Commissioner Ram Thapa arrived at the CBI Office, CGO Complex in Kolkata, earlier today.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: RG Kar Medical College and Hospital principal Manas Kumar Bandyopadhyay arrives at CBI Anti-corruption Branch office in Kolkata.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Need more than just comments to have an impact in reality: RJD's Manoj Jha on PM Modi's remark about crimes against women.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar has intensified his attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, announcing a series of protests over the alleged rape and murder of a woman doctor at a state-run hospital two weeks ago.

The protests will take place across the state from August 28 to September 4, according to Majumdar, who is also a Union minister.

Majumdar has demanded chief minister Mamata Banerjee's resignation, citing her alleged failure to ensure women's safety. He announced that the BJP will begin a sit-in at Esplanade in Kolkata on August 28, while the party's women's wing plans to lock the gates of the state women's commission office.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: "Crimes against women are on the rise. I welcome the PM's announcement that a strict law is needed," Assam CM Himanata Sarma said.

He further remarked, "My only observation is that a deadline of six months should be fixed for all processes such as inquiry, charge-sheet, trial, and conviction in crime cases against women. Then only will we be able to reduce such crimes."

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday backed the need for a stricter law to address crimes against women, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for such legislation. Sarma stressed that in cases involving crimes against women, all legal processes—including inquiry, charge-sheet filing, trial, and conviction—should be completed within six months.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Kolkata police have stepped up security measures ahead of the call for Nabanna Abhijan' rally on Tuesday.

The rally is set to clash with the conduct of UGC-NET exam from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: TMC leader Chandrima Bhattacharya called the proposed Nabanna Abhijan' rally on Tuesday as "illegal and an attempt to incite widespread unrest in Kolkata".

"The call for this rally has been given on social media by Chhatra Samaj, which has not intimated police about their plans. We all want justice for the victim and exemplary punishment for the perpetrators. The case has been handed over to the CBI and the demand for the resignation of the CM is politically motivated," she said.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Akhtar Ali, former deputy superintendent of the medical college has alleged that the former principal colluded with his associates and issued tenders for the construction of food stalls, cafes, canteens, and urinals without the permission of the health department and the college council.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: The CBI has resumed questioning the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Dr. Sandip Ghosh and vice principal Sanjay Vashisth in connection with their ongoing probe into alleged financial irregularities in the institute.

The agency claimed to have unearthed a large number of evidence to prove the alleged financial irregularities. "After yesterday's search operations, we have several questions for them," the officer told PTI.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Dr Ananda Sankar Bandyopadhyay, deputy director of the polio team at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, expressed deep shame and sadness over the rape and murder of a female doctor in Kolkata.

"No one understands the suffering of patients more than doctors, nurses, and paramedical staff. I stand in solidarity with those demanding safety and dignity at their workplace. I am saddened by the suffering of people and hope the situation improves soon," he told news agency PTI.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: As the CBI continues into the alleged rape and murder and other financial irregularities involving former principal Dr. Sandip Ghosh, reports reveal how the agency has progressed so far in the case. Read more

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: To protest the alleged rape and murder of a female doctor, the Bengal BJP has announced a series of protests in the state from Aug 28.

Demanding Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's resignation for her alleged failure to address the issue of women's safety, state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said the party will begin a sit-in in Esplanade area of Kolkata from August 28 while the party's women's wing will lock the gates of the state women's commission office.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Days after the central government ordered all hospitals under it to review security protocols and increase their security force by up to 25%, a resident doctor and a medical dresser were allegedly physically assaulted by a patient's attendant in Delhi. Read more