As CBI Conducts Polygraph Test On Sanjay Roy And Sandip Ghosh, A Look At Timeline Of RG Kar Doctor Death Case
As the CBI continues its probe into the Kolkata doctor's rape and murder case, a look at a timeline of the horrific case that sent shock waves across the country.
Kolkata Doctor Death: Sanjay Roy, the main accused in the Kolkata doctor rape and death case, along with six others was subjected to lie detection tests on Saturday. The polygraph test on Roy was conducted in the prison where he is lodged, while the remaining six --including former principal of RK Kar Medical College and Hospital, Dr Sandip Ghosh and four doctors who were on duty during the night of the incident and a civic volunteer-- underwent the test at the agency's office in Kolkata.
Among the four doctors undergoing the lie detection test are two first-year postgraduate trainees, whose fingerprints were allegedly found inside a seminar hall at the state-run medical facility where the medic's body was discovered. A team of polygraph specialists from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in Delhi flew to Kolkata to conduct these tests.
Kolkata Horror: A Timeline
August 9: A semi-naked body of a woman post-graduate trainee doctor was found inside a seminar hall of state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The deceased was identified as a second-year student of the chest medicine department and was on duty on August 8-9. As per police, the victim had dinner with her juniors at around 2 am and then went to the seminar room to take a rest. The alleged crime took place between 3 am and 6 am.
A first-year postgraduate trainee doctor saw the victim's body from a distance at around 9.30 am and informed his colleagues and senior doctors, who alerted hospital authorities. Tala police station was informed about the incident from a police outpost at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital at 10.10 am. Initially, cops were told that a 'half-naked' woman was found lying in an unconscious state in a seminar room on the third floor of the emergency building.
Police officers reach the crime scene at 10:30 am and take stock of the situation. They secured the crime scene and informed senior officers. At 10.52 am, the Assistant Superintendent of the hospital informed the victim's family about her death and asked them to come quickly.
As per the police timeline, the homicide team reaches the spot at 11 am, followed by the photographer and videographer of the scientific wing of the detective department at 12:25 pm. The first photo of the body was taken at 12:29 pm, by which time the fingerprint and footprint experts along with senior officers of Kolkata police reached the spot. A forensic team was also called.
Police timeline mentioned that the victim was examined by an on-duty doctor at 12:47 pm, who declared her deceased. At 1 pm, the parents of the victim reached the hospital and were taken to the seminar room after 10 minutes. However, the deceased doctor's parents had told the Calcutta High Court that the assistant superintendent first called them at 10:53 am saying their daughter was unwell and then they received another call at 11:15 am saying their daughter died by suicide. These claims find no mention in police timeline.
As per the police timeline, the medical and death certificates of the victim were handed over to the police at 1:47 pm. Police officers noted injuries on the body, including on private parts, and an unnatural death case was recorded. At 3 pm, the victim’s family and college friends demanded that legal action and post-mortem be conducted in the presence of a judicial magistrate, and also requested video documentation of the entire process. However, a formal request for a post-mortem was made at 3:55 pm.
At 4:10 pm, the judicial magistrate arrived at the scene, and between 4:20 pm and 4:40 pm, the inquest was conducted in the presence of the judicial magistrate, and the body was then transported to the mortuary for post-mortem. Between 4:45 pm and 4:56 pm, after the body was removed, photography and videography of the crime scene were completed. The FSL team revisited the scene to collect evidence.
Protests erupted at the college at 5:10 pm, and the body was sent to the mortuary for post-mortem. At 6:00 pm, the deceased victim’s body arrived at the mortuary. Between 6:10 pm and 7:10 pm, a board of forensic doctors conducted the post-mortem in the presence of the judicial magistrate. The autopsy surgeon collected evidence and sealed the area.
The Dog Squad’s sniffer dogs inspected the crime scene at 8:00 pm, Later between 8:37 pm and 8:52 pm, 3D mapping of the crime scene and its surroundings was conducted by the Detective Department’s scientific wing.
Police timeline said between 8:32 pm and 10:45 pm, about 40 samples were collected from the crime scene and were sealed by the FSL team in the presence of local witnesses. Later, the body was handed over to the family after the post-mortem. Police registered an FIR at 11:45 pm, following a complaint from the victim's father.
August 10: Primary accused Sanjay Roy was arrested by Kolkata Police. An autopsy report also confirmed that the doctor was sexually assaulted before she was murdered.
August 11: The West Bengal government transferred RG Kar Hospital Superintendent over alleged lapses which led to the rape and murder of a trainee doctor.
August 12: Dr Sandip Ghosh, the principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, stepped down amid a nationwide protest. Within 24 hours, he was reinstated and appointed as the principal of Calcutta National Medical College (CNMC).
August 13: Taking cognisance of the matter, the Calcutta High Court ordered the former RG Kar Principal Ghosh to take an extended leave. The probe was also transferred to CBI from the Kolkata Police.
August 14: A 25-member CBI team begins a probe, following which the central agencies take custody of the accused.
August 15: A large group of unidentified men stormed into RG Kar Medical College and obstructed the peaceful overnight protest by doctors in solidarity with the Kolkata doctor's rape and murder case.
August 16: At least 19 people were arrested for vandalism at RG Kar Hospital. Parents of the deceased alleged the involvement of several interns and physicians of RG Kar Hospital.
August 17: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) called for a one-day nationwide strike of doctors.
August 18: Nationwide protests demanding capital punishment for the accused continued. Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of the incident, to take it up on August 20.
August 19: CBI grilled ex-RG Kar hospital Principal for the fourth consecutive day. A local court granted CBI permission to conduct a polygraph test on the accused.
August 20: The Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of the matter. A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud constituted a 10-member task force to formulate a national protocol for ensuring the safety and security of doctors.
August 21: Kolkata police suspended three officers over vandalism at RG Kar hospital. The Union government asked the CISF to take over security at RG Kar Hospital.
August 22: The Supreme Court reprimanded Kolkata Police for delay in taking action in the case.
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