A CBI court on Wednesday described the charges against former RG Kar Medical College principal Sandip Ghosh and ex-officer-in-charge of Tala police station, Abhijit Mandal, as "grave," with potential consequences as severe as capital punishment.
In a significant development a CBI court on Wednesday described the charges against former RG Kar Medical College principal Sandip Ghosh and ex-officer-in-charge of Tala police station, Abhijit Mandal, as "grave," with potential consequences as severe as capital punishment. This statement emerged during the ongoing proceedings of the high-profile RG Kar rape-and-murder case.
According to a report by the Times of India (TOI), Magistrate Shibasis Dey, in his written order accessible on Thursday, highlighted the seriousness of the situation, remarking that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is pressing forward with their probe at full throttle. Both Ghosh and Mandal remain in custody until the next hearing on Monday.
A court in Kolkata on Wednesday extended the CBI custody of Sandip Ghosh, and Abhijit Mondal till 30 September, when their consent will be sought for narco-analysis and polygraph tests respectively, as appealed by the central investigating agency.
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"The nature and gravity of the accusation is grave, and if proved, there might be a capital punishment, which is only given in rarest of rare cases," Magistrate Dey stated. He stressed that granting bail under such circumstances would go against the "principles of equity."
In a significant observation, the court underscored the possibility that a person may be implicated in a crime even without being physically present at the scene. This aligned with the CBI’s argument regarding "collective participation" in the heinous act.
On the defense front, Ghosh's legal counsel, Zohaib Rauf, vehemently argued that his client was falsely implicated in the case. Meanwhile, Ayan Bhattacharya, representing Mandal, asserted that the CBI had violated legal provisions during the arrest, arguing that the accusations lacked merit and should qualify Mandal for bail.
The CBI is investigating the larger conspiracy behind the destruction of evidence in the brutal rape and murder of a junior doctor from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The investigative agency has also flagged significant irregularities in the post-mortem procedures. Dr. Apurba Biswas, the head of the three-member panel that conducted the post-mortem, has been summoned for questioning four times by the CBI as part of their deepening investigation.
As the investigation continues, all eyes are on the upcoming hearings, which could shape the trajectory of one of the most chilling criminal cases in recent times.