IMA Questions 'Fingerprint Expert's' Competence After Cops' Clarification On RG Kar Crime Scene Photos

A photo is being widely shared on social media where a crowd could be seen at the crime spot in RG Kar Medical College. The Kolkata police issued a clarification but it was contested by IMA.

The Indian Medical Association slammed Kolkata Police on Saturday over its clarification on a crowded photo of the seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital where the dead body of the rape and murder victim was found. The photos, which went viral on social media, showed several individuals present inside the seminar hall. It was alleged that the crime scene was "altered". 

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central), Indira Mukherjee held a press conference where she claimed that no unauthorised person was at the crime scene. Among the people that could be seen in the photo were police officers, videographers, members of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), and a fingerprint expert, the DCP said. 

The IMA, however, released a statement on Saturday claiming that the person, who was referred to as the fingerprint expert, was actually a first-year postgraduate trainee of the surgery department at Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial Hospital (SSKM), Kolkata.

When Did Avik De Become Fingerprint Expert: IMA 

"Please let us know when the great Dr Avik De became Finger Print Expert. (As stated by Kolkata Police).
As we all know, he is a 1st year Post Graduate Trainee of the Surgery Department of SSKM Hospital," said the IMA in a Facebook post. 

The doctors' body also said that De's admission into the PG course is also shrouded in a "lot of controversies". 

The Bengal chapter of IMA claimed that De worked as a Resident Medical Officer (RMO) at Burdwan Medical College. But the Principal of the college, Kaustav Nayek issued him a false certificate mentioning that De worked in another hospital to get him a seat for PG admission through Service Quota. 

In return Nayek received undue favour, IMA said, urging Kolkata police and CBI to re-identify "red-shirted" Avik De. 

BJP Lashes Out At Mamata Banerjee 

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Amit Malviya lashed out at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the row saying his admission to the PG course was the "epitome" of institutionalised corruption and political nepotism. 

"His (Avik De) admission in the MS program has been under the cloud of suspicion. Dr De, several in the WB medical fraternity believe, is the epitome of institutionalised corruption and political nepotism, that has seeped deep into West Bengal’s crumbling healthcare sector, under Mamata Banerjee’s stewardship," Malviya said in an X post. 

He also questioned who was Mamata Banerjee and Kolkata Police trying to hide and who are they protecting. 

Malviya also reiterated the demand for a polygraph test of Mamata Banerjee saying otherwise the truth won't come out.