Kolkata doctor rape case: Cracks in TMC? RS MP seeks interrogation of top cop by CBI. ‘Illogical demand,’ says party

There seems to be a divide within the ruling Trinamool Congress party in West Bengal over the handling of rape and murder case of a junior doctor in RG Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

Party senior leader and Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Sukhendu Sekhar Ray urged the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on August 18 to interrogate Kolkata police commissioner Vineet Goyal and college’s former Principal Sandip Ghosh in the case. Within hours, Kolkata Police summoned Ray for allegedly spreading wrong information related to the case.

Ray had suggested that the CBI, which is probing the case, must act fairly and that custodial interrogation of the former principal and police commissioner is necessary to find out who spread the suicide story, among other questions.

“Why sniffer dig used after 3 days? Hundreds of such questions. Make them speak,” Roy said in a post on X.

Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh objected to Ray’s remarks and called it unfortunate. “I also demand justice in RG Kar case. But strongly oppose this demand regarding CP… Personally, CP was doing his job, and an investigation was in a positive focus. This kind of post is unfortunate, that too from my senior leader,” Ghosh said in a post on X.

Ghosh, the TMC spokesperson, was later heard saying in a video message that Ray's demands were illogical. “We oppose this demand because CP Vineet Goyal did his best within 12 hours and the accused has been arrested and more interrogation was underway,” he said.

The junior doctor was raped and murdered inside a seminar hall of Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. While Sanjoy Roy, the main accused, has been arrested, investigating agencies have not riled out the involvement of others in the crime.

Ray has been vocal over the sensational rape and murder case that sparked widespread outrage and led to protests in Kolkata and beyond. He was part of midnight protest on August 14 and also wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on August 16, urging the introduction of a bill in the intersession of Parliament to enact a new stringent law for the safety of medical personnel in hospitals, among others.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her TMC are at the receiving end of one of the worst ever protests after the incident.

The Supreme Court of India has taken suo motu cognizance of the Kolkata CASE. According to the cause list of August 20 uploaded on the apex court website, a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud is scheduled to hear on Tuesday a matter titled 'In Re: Alleged rape and murder incident of a trainee doctor in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata and related issue'.