Kolkata rape-murder case highlights: ED detains close aide of ex-RG Kar principal Sandip Ghosh

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Thousands of women across West Bengal are preparing to join the third ‘Reclaim the Night’ march on September 8, expressing their outrage over the rape and murder of a junior doctor in Kolkata last month. The demonstration will be held to mark one month of the heinous crime that sparked widespread protests. Read more.

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel has targeted his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee over the rape and murder of the woman doctor in Kolkata, saying that action is needed on the issue of women's safety and not mere words.

"Mamta Didi, we need action, not just words. The POCSO Act and other laws for women's safety are robust, but their impact depends on swift and fair action by local police. From investigation to conviction, timely justice is crucial," he said.

BJP MP Sambit Patra on Friday demanded answers from the West Bengal government, led by Mamata Banerjee, over what he described as an attempt to cover up the circumstances surrounding the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. Dig deeper.

Thousands of women across West Bengal are expected to turn up at the third edition of the 'Reclaim the Night' campaign on September 8 midnight to press their demand for justice for a doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered at a hospital here last month. (PTI)

Bharatiya Janata Party MP Sambit Patra on Friday questioned what the Mamata Banerjee's government was trying to hide by allegedly instructing the District Collector to give money to the victim of the father in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape case. (ANI)

The BJP on Friday upped the ante against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and demanded that she immediately step down, saying a fair probe into the Kolkata medic rape-murder case was not possible so long as she remained at the helm.

The BJP's latest salvo came after the medic's family members, who joined the protesting doctors at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on Wednesday, accused the Kolkata Police of attempting to suppress the case by hastily cremating the body. (PTI)

West Bengal Speaker Biman Banerjee on Friday urged Governor C V Ananda Bose not to make politically motivated statements, and said he should look into the Constitution and determine whether the anti-rape Bill passed by the assembly requires any further clarification.

ED officers on Friday conducted simultaneous search operations at the residences of Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, and three of his associates in connection with alleged financial irregularities at the institute, an officer said. (PTI)

West Bengal Governor Ananda Bose has criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for failing to send a technical report along with the Aparajita Bill passed by the State Assembly. As per rules, the government is duty bound to send a technical report before a decision is taken on giving assent to the bill. (ANI)

Speaking to ANI, MP Congress chief Jitu Patwari told ANI, "BJP is protesting across the country against rape and murder incident that occurred in Kolkata, West Bengal. While in Madhya Pradesh, 18 women get sexually assaulted daily. The limit got par after a woman was raped at a public place on footpath in Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav's constituency. Why is MP CM Mohan Yadav, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), PM Narendra Modi silent?"

The West Bengal BJP on Friday organised a statewide "Chakka jam" (road blockade) programme in several parts of the city and in districts for an hour demanding justice for the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital rape and murder case and also the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. (PTI)

Senior TMC leader Derek O'Brien on Friday questioned the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) regarding the status of the charge-sheet in the RG Kar hospital rape-murder case.

"When is CBI filing a charge-sheet in the RG Kar hospital rape and murder case and putting the accused on trial? When?" he posted on X. (PTI)

Enforcement Directorate officials detained Prashun Chatterjee, a close aide of former principal of Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Ghosh, from Subhashgram in Kolkata.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: The aunt of the deceased doctor expressed outrage over the incident, saying, “While the body of my niece was lying in the house, the police offered us money. Is this how the police show humanity?”

She continued, “Until the last rites were completed, 300-400 policemen surrounded us. But once the rites were done, not a single officer was present. How were we supposed to manage? The police were diligent until the last rites, but afterward, they disappeared. While we were grieving and the body was in front of us, the police offered money instead of showing empathy. They claimed to have fulfilled their duties, but is this truly fulfilling their responsibilities?”

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: West Bengal Governor Ananda Bose has criticised chief minister Mamata Banerjee for not including a technical report with the Aparajita Bill passed by the state assembly.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, representing the family of the murdered trainee doctor, criticized West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's anti-rape bill on Wednesday. He described the bill as "absolutely useless," arguing that it prioritizes confronting the central government over effectively tackling sexual violence. Bhattacharya, a CPI(M) leader and Rajya Sabha MP, accused the Aparajita bill of being a superficial measure that diverts attention from addressing the root problem. Dig deeper

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition from Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, challenging the decision to transfer the investigation into alleged financial irregularities during his tenure to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Senior TMC leader Derek O'Brien on Friday questioned the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) about the progress of the charge sheet in the RG Kar Hospital rape and murder case. “When is CBI filing a charge sheet in the RG Kar hospital rape and murder case and putting the accused on trial? When?” he posted on X.

The TMC has been pressing the CBI in recent days to file the charge-sheet as soon as possible.

The Calcutta High Court had transferred the investigation from Kolkata Police to the CBI in August. The main accused, a civic volunteer, was arrested by police a day after the incident on August 9.

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: An audio clip allegedly capturing the initial three conversations between the parents of the trainee doctor who was raped and murdered on August 9 at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and a staff member from the institution surfaced on social media on Thursday.

The contents of the clip, which HT could not independently verify, align with the parents' earlier statements to the media. They had recounted receiving the first information about their daughter from a woman who introduced herself as an assistant superintendent of the hospital but did not disclose her name. Dig deeper

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Regarding the Supreme Court hearing in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case, West Bengal BJP leader Dilip Ghosh questioned the delay, saying, “The hearing was scheduled for September 5th; why is it being postponed? This is a major incident, and the entire nation is watching. Whether it's the Court or CBI, it must be taken seriously. People are protesting because they trust the Court, and it should be treated accordingly.”

He further commented, “There are many individuals responsible for this incident, involved in the ongoing irregularities. It's not just a few people—there's an entire gang that needs to be exposed.”

Addressing the victim's family's claim of being offered money to stay silent, Ghosh said, “This is Mamata Banerjee's style—silence people when a crime occurs. This has become the government's policy. They attempted to silence the victim's parents. It's commendable that they refused the money; the whole society supports them. They seek justice, not money.”

(ANI)

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, on Monday night over alleged financial irregularities at the Kolkata medical facility. Along with Ghosh, his security guard Afsar Ali, and hospital vendors Biplav Singha and Sumana Hazara were also taken into custody.

The arrests occurred nearly three weeks after a doctor was raped and murdered inside the hospital's seminar hall. Sandip Ghosh came under scrutiny after the Calcutta High Court noted that he should have been the first person questioned in connection with the murder. Dig deeper

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: The Trinamool Congress has criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party and other parties for allegedly politicizing the death of a woman doctor from a state-run hospital on August 9.

On Thursday, TMC leader and minister Shashi Panja accused the BJP of focusing on political gain rather than seeking justice for the tragedy. Dig deeper

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: The father of the Kolkata doctor, who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, has claimed he wanted to preserve his daughter's body but was compelled to cremate her. The family and relatives of the 31-year-old woman participated in a late-night protest outside the state-run hospital on Wednesday. The victim's parents also accused the police of attempting to bribe them.

The doctor’s father reported that 300-400 police officers surrounded them after they returned home with her body. Dig deeper

Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday morning began raiding the residence of former principal Sandip Ghosh in Kolkata as part of the investigation into an alleged financial scam at RG Kar Hospital.

Ghosh is currently in CBI custody in connection with the rape and murder case involving a trainee doctor at the state-run hospital. On Tuesday, a Kolkata court ordered Ghosh, along with three others, to be held in CBI custody for eight days as the investigation into alleged financial misconduct at RG Kar Medical College continues. The CBI had requested a 10-day custody, citing a “large nexus” in the corruption case that needed further examination.