Interrogate ex-principal and police commissioner in Kolkata rape & murder case: Trinamool MP

An internal rebellion has started brewing within Trinamool Congress over the ghastly rape and murder of a woman junior doctor at state-run R.G Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata. 

Almost echoing the demands of the opposition parties in the state, a senior Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray has called for immediate custodial interrogation of both the former principal of R.G. Kar Sandip Ghosh and the Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal.

"CBI must act fairly . Custodial interrogation of Ex Principal and Police Commissioner is a must to know who and why floated suicide story.Why wall of hall demolished, who patronised Roy to be so powerful, Why sniffer dog used after 3 days.100s of such questions. Make them speak," said Ray in a post on his official X handle.

Ray for the first time showed signs of rebellion when he expressed solidarity with the 'Midnight Protest March by Women in Kolkata' on August 14. He said in view of the fact that he has a "daughter" and a "little granddaughter" like many Bengali families, he has decided to join the protesters.

Political observers feel that Ray's demand for custodial interrogation of Ghosh and Goyal is actually challenging the earlier statements made by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who was all in praise of the investigation carried out by the special investigation team of Kolkata Police. The case was later handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) following an order by a division bench of Kolkata last week.

Although the CBI officials had been resorting to marathon interrogation of Ghosh since Friday, they are yet to summon the city police commissioner for questioning.

After two days of grilling on Friday and Saturday for over 13 hours each day, Ghosh was summoned by CBI to the agency's Salt Lake office on Sunday morning as well. Ghosh was at the CBI office at the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, Kolkata Police have enforced Section 163 of the Indian Civil Protection Code, 2023, around R.G. Kar Hospital for seven days starting from August 18. During this period, no gatherings, protests, or rallies will be allowed in the area.

(With inputs from IANS)