Lawyer For RG Kar Victim's Family Withdraws From Case, BJP Says 'Shouldn't Have Involved Herself'

Advocate Vrinda Grover has withdrawn from representing the victim's family in the Kolkata RG Kar rape and murder case purportedly due to a lack of coordination between the legal team and the family.

A protest to demand justice for the RG Kar victim.

Source : PTI

Senior lawyer Vrinda Grover, who was representing the victim's family in the Kolkata RG Kar rape and murder case, has distanced herself from the case in the Supreme Court, Calcutta High Court, and the Sealdah trial court. On Wednesday, December 11, Grover's team informed that there was a lack of coordination between the victim's family and the legal team.

According to a report by India Today, the legal team and the victim's family were unable to work together effectively, leading Grover to step away from the case. A statement issued by Grover's chamber clarified that she had been representing the victim's family pro bono. Her legal team included advocates Soutik Banerjee and Arjun Gupta, who had been handling the daily appearances in court and other aspects of the legal battle since November 4 at the Sealdah Sessions Court.

The legal team’s statement also mentioned that during the proceedings, 43 prosecution witnesses had given their statements, and opposed the bail for the accused. The remaining evidence and statements are expected to be presented in 2-3 days. The legal team's statement further noted that Grover provides legal services based on evidence and ethics. However, due to certain reasons, she had decided to withdraw from the case.

The victim's family, when asked about this development, expressed that they were unaware of the decision. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the CBI informed the Supreme Court that the RG Kar case investigation in Kolkata is expected to be concluded within a month.

BJP Says RG Kar Case Lawyer's Move 'Not Surprising'

Reacting to the development, the BJP alleged that Vrinda Grover was withdrawing from the RG Kar case because she was close to the Trinamool Congress government in Bengal. "Senior advocate Vrinda Grover has withdrawn from representing the family of the victim in the RG Kar rape and murder case, ending her pro bono legal assistance across multiple courts after significant progress in the trial," said BJP IT cell head Ami Malviya.

"She shouldn’t have involved herself in the matter, given her proximity to Mamata Banerjee and the TMC leadership, one of the main protagonists in the matter. It is not a surprising development," he said.

What Was Is Kolkata RG Kar Rape & Murder Case

The Kolkata RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape and murder case has drawn national outrage following the murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor on August 9, 2024. Found in a seminar room, her body showed signs of sexual assault and strangulation, confirmed by an autopsy.

Initial investigations by the Kolkata Police faced criticism, prompting the Calcutta High Court to transfer the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on August 13. The prime suspect, Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer, was arrested shortly after the discovery.