Protests Erupt in Kolkata After Ex-RG Kar Principal Granted Bail in Rape Case

Protests Erupt in Kolkata: Kolkata has awakened into protests after a High Court granted bail to Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, and Abhijit Mondal, ex-officer-in-charge at the Tala police station on Friday,- since no chargesheet was submitted by Central Bureau of Investigation within the stipulated 90 days period.

Ghosh and Mondal were arrested in the light of the allegations regarding the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Hospital on August 9. They were later accused of tampering with the evidence and hastening the cremation of the woman doctor, while her family insisted on a second autopsy.

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All these joined the 31-year-old doctor from various doctors' associations and political parties; they all came to the street demanding justice for the victim as well as for her parents.

“We don’t know what the CBI is planning. We are, however, not losing hope. We will fight till the end to get justice. The legal battle and the fight on the streets will continue in parallel,” the victim’s father told media personnel while attending a protest rally in Salt Lake on Saturday.

On Saturday afternoon, the West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front (WBJDF) organized a protest rally from Karunamoyee to the CBI's office at the CGO complex in Salt Lake.

“Today, men like Ghosh have been granted bail. Tomorrow, he may be reinstated in a reputed medical college. We will remain on the roads until we get justice. We had faith in the CBI, but what is the agency doing?” said Debasish Halder, a member of the WBJDF.

The Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) [SUCI(C)] also organized a protest march along the same route earlier during the day.

“We are disappointed and angry. We will soon hit the streets in protest. We want to send a message to the state government and the federal agency that they need to do everything to ensure the girl gets justice,” said Dr Utpal Banerjee, a member of the Joint Platform of Doctors.

Members of Congress staged a protest at the Nizam Palace outside its CBI wing while the Students' Federation of India (SFI) held a protest rally in central Kolkata.

The Joint Platform of Doctors, an umbrella body of various organisations, convened a rally Saturday afternoon at Esplanade and announced that doctors, health workers and citizens from all walks of life will inevitably soon come to the streets.

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“We are disappointed and angry. We will soon hit the streets in protest. We want to send a message to the state government and the federal agency that they need to do everything to ensure the girl gets justice,” said Dr Utpal Banerjee, a member of the Joint Platform of Doctors.

In the meantime, the Service Doctors' Forum (SDF) has written to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seeking intervention as to solicitor general Tushar Mehta, who was speaking on behalf of CBI and stated before the Chief Justice of India's bench on Tuesday, that the Bengal government had not granted any sanction for proceedings of the federal agency against Ghosh and Mondal.

“We urge you to ensure that all those involved in the horrific incident of rape and murder at RG Kar Medical College, as well as those who attempted to suppress evidence, are brought to justice swiftly,” the letter said.

The letter sought punitive action against officials of the state government for not allowing the CBI to proceed against Ghosh and Mondal.

The victim's family has been represented by senior advocate Vrinda Grover, who, too, has exited from the case dominating the headlines. “We have already held talks with another advocate. We will continue to fight,” said the victim’s father.

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