The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) claimed that the crime scene at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital was tampered with, however the Kolkata Police have denied this.
The police statement addresses claims that the scene of the earlier this month rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor had been tampered with. The CBI voiced concerns at a Supreme Court hearing, claiming that the crime scene had been altered and that the trainee doctor’s death had been falsely reported to the victim’s family as a suicide. The hospital was accused of mishandling the matter by the agency, which also noted a delay in filing the FIR.
However, Kolkata Police clarified that all individuals present at the scene were fully authorized. “We are talking about the photo in question. The area was cordoned off, and the body was behind it. All individuals in the photo were part of the investigation team,” said Indira Mukherjee, DCP Central, Kolkata Police. The photograph, which went viral on social media, was reportedly taken after the inquest was completed.
Meanwhile, the CBI’s prosecutor, Tushar Mehta, drew attention to the hospital’s shortcomings in managing the case delicately. He criticised the postponement of the FIR filing, pointing out that it was only filed following the cremation of the deceased. In addition, considering the gravity of the incident, the CBI expressed worry at the hospital’s inability to protect the crime scene and the departure of Dr. Sandip Ghosh, the hospital’s principal. The CBI and Kolkata Police continue to offer different accounts of how the case was handled as the inquiry into the trainee doctor’s death is still ongoing.