HC orders CBI SIT probe in R G Kar case hush-up charges

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday ordered setting up a three-member special investigation team (SIT) of the CBI to probe the developments from the time the R G Kar Medical College’s trainee doctor had dinner on the ill-fated night of August 2024 to her cremation.

The young medic was raped and murdered in the hospital on the night of August 9, 2024, which caused an uproar in the state as well as among the doctors’ community across the country.

There have been allegations that evidence was destroyed and attempts were made to downplay the incident in its immediate aftermath.

A high court division bench comprising Justices Shampa Sarkar and Tirthankar Ghosh on Thursday said the CBI’s joint director, east, will head the team. The other two members of the team would be decided within 48 hours of the court’s order.

The bench said that, considering the social ramifications of the gruesome incident, a three-member SIT would look into charges of evidence destruction and allegations made by the medic’s parents that there were attempts to hush up and downplay the incident.

The SIT was directed to probe the developments from the time the trainee doctor had dinner at the hospital till her cremation the next evening. The court directed the SIT to file a comprehensive report by June 25, when the matter will be heard again.

The parents of the doctor moved the high court seeking further investigation into the rape and murder of their daughter, claiming that more than one person was involved in the gruesome crime.

Civic volunteer Sanjay Roy was sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of the post-graduate trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The division bench said that it is of the view that the investigation, which is continuing, should focus on the lapses which have been identified by the CBI in the report dated March 28, 2025.

It noted that the CBI has indicated such lapses on the part of the police and the hospital authorities during the investigation, prior to the investigation being handed over to the central agency by the high court.

“We are of the considered view that the focus of the investigation should be directed towards all the surrounding circumstances of the fateful night, from the stage when the victim had dinner with her doctor friends till the time of cremation,” the division bench said.

“Although we do not comment on the credibility of the investigating officer, we are of the view that considering the nature of the offence, the social ramifications, insecurity of women at the workplace, a special investigating team comprising of three members, headed by the Joint Director, CBI, Eastern Zone, be constituted” which will probe the issues flagged, the bench said.

The court said that the SIT “shall not only focus on the issues relating to destruction of evidence or shielding any offender, but shall revisit the grievance of the petitioners to that extent.” The division bench said that if required, the petitioners and any other person that the SIT may deem necessary will be interrogated.

The court asked the CBI to produce before it on the next date of hearing the case diary along with all relevant materials and documents.