The case involving the alleged rape and murder of a doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital continues to grow more complex as a video featuring the victim’s parents has gone viral on social media. Parents of the deceased doctor, who joined protesting medics at the RG Kar Hospital, have accused Kolkata Police of hastily conducting the last rites of the victim to suppress the case. The father of the victim has also alleged that a senior police officer offered him money privately when his daughter's body was brought home after the post-mortem, before the final rites.
Kolkata Doctor's Parents Dismiss TMC's Claims
A fresh row erupted as the Trinamool Congress (TMC) strongly refuted allegations of a Kolkata Police "cover-up" citing a video that the TMC claims contradicts the family’s accusations of being offered money.
Senior TMC leader and minister, Shashi Panja, addressed the issue during a press conference on Thursday, stating that a new video of the victim's parents showed them denying claims of any police cover-up or being offered money. "A video went viral yesterday where it is claimed that a police official offered money to the parents in the aftermath of the incident. Another video has appeared in the public domain, where the parents clearly stated that such claims are lies and they only want justice for their daughter,” Panja said.
The authenticity of the video, which was played during the TMC press conference, could not be independently verified by ABP News. In the video, the parents were heard saying that they were never offered money. "We cannot imagine the pain of the grieving parents. The incident is extremely unfortunate and saddening, and we have all been demanding justice for the victim. But, there shouldn't be politics here. We want to humbly appeal that there should be no political pressure on the parents to do anything," Panja added.
However, the family of the deceased quickly responded to these claims, speaking to a Bengali news channel. They alleged that the video was forcibly recorded by the police shortly after the cremation.
"That very night [August 9] someone came and made this video. We didn't say anything. We were pressured to say such things. They told us that this is a police investigation and such remarks can hamper the probe. We were forced to say that," the victim's father told the Bengali news channel. "They told us 'The investigation is with the police and you are demeaning the department'. Hence, we were forced to say that."
He added, "Later when we saw that the police were taking the investigation in a different direction, we approached the Calcutta High Court. The HC then handed the probe to the CBI."
Kolkata Doctor Death Case: BJP Poses Questions To CM Mamata Banerjee
After the ruling TMC accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of exploiting the tragedy for political gains, BJP leader Amit Malviya shared the parents' video on social media, writing, "TMC hacks are circulating a video of the deceased RG Kar doctor’s family and claiming that WB Police didn’t offer any money to them. Now listen to the parents’ version. They claim that Mamata Banerjee’s police threatened to derail the investigation if they didn’t come on camera and deny the allegations of being offered money to withdraw the case. Distraught parents complied. Later, when the parents realised that the Kolkata Police was doing everything to cover up the crime and were conducting a sham investigation, they decided to speak the truth."
Malviya's post further accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal of trying to derail the investigation and called for a polygraph test to uncover the truth. He added, "The parents, who had just lost a 31-year-old daughter, were being hounded by Vineet Goyal and his team of officers on the instructions of Mamata Banerjee. I repeat: Unless Mamata Banerjee and Vineet Goyal, Commissioner of Kolkata Police, step down, a free and fair probe is not possible. Much of the evidence has already been destroyed. Call records of the CM and Kolkata CP, for 72 hours after the crime, should be put in the public domain. Their conversations investigated. Mamata Banerjee and Vineet Goyal must be subjected to a polygraph test to unearth the truth. The movement for justice will continue."
Another BJP leader, Shehzad Poonawala, echoed similar sentiments, stating, "Yesterday, after the parents of the RG Kar victim claimed that they were offered money by the police, TMC tried a cover-up job using some video of the parents denying that money was offered. Now listen to the truth: Parents and even relatives of the victim claim that Mamata Banerjee’s police threatened to derail the investigation if they didn’t come on camera and deny the allegations of being offered money. Helpless parents complied. When parents realised that Kolkata Police was doing everything to cover up the crime, they decided to speak the truth."
He demanded answers from Mamata Banerjee regarding the reinstatement of Sandip Ghosh and the alleged protection of the Kolkata Police Commissioner, "Instead of character assassination of the parents, Mamata Banerjee must answer 1) Why was Sandip Ghose reinstated even though he ordered demolition and complete destruction near the alleged crime scene (his letter/instructions in pic2 dated 10th Aug)? 2) Why is Mamata Banerjee protecting CP Kolkata? 3) Should she not resign given her failure as HM and Health Minister? 4) How long will TMC intimidate either doctors or anyone who raises their voice, including journalists?"
During a press conference, BJP MP Sambit Patra reiterated the victim's father's claims that a Deputy Commissioner had offered him money to withdraw the case, and accused the state government of trying to "throw the case under the carpet."
"The questions that the victim's father has laid in front of the nation today are of paramount importance... Question No. 1, the victim's father says that when the body of the victim was in their house, then DC North offered him money. He refused the offer... An administrator tried to offer him money. A person becomes corrupt when he tries to hide something... What was there to hide that Mamata Banerjee's government sent the DC and offered money to the victim's father? What was it that the administration was trying to throw under the carpet?"
The death of the doctor on 9 August has led to nationwide protests, with junior doctors in West Bengal ceasing work in solidarity. Shashi Panja had supported the doctors' agitation, describing it as justified, but expressed hope that they would resume work once the situation is addressed. "The agitation by the doctors is justified and should be treated with empathy. Surely, they will get back to work when they feel that the time has come for them," Panja added.