Kolkata Police summons two doctors, senior BJP leader for fake news on the rape-murder case
Kolkata rape-murder case: Doctors Dr Kunal Sarkar and Dr Subarna Goswami, and BJP leader and former MP Locket Chatterjee have been handed out notices, asking them to appear at the police headquarters at Lalbazar by 3 pm today.
- Aug 18, 2024,
- Updated Aug 18, 2024 12:12 PM IST
The Kolkata Police summoned two prominent doctors and a senior BJP leader for allegedly spreading misinformation and revealing the identity of the trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Doctors Dr Kunal Sarkar and Dr Subarna Goswami, and BJP leader and former MP Locket Chatterjee have been handed out notices, asking them to appear at the police headquarters at Lalbazar by 3 pm today.
Sarkar and Goswami spread false information relating to the investigation and post-mortem report of the case, the police alleged. It said that Goswami, in particular, had reportedly given interviews to media outlets claiming that he had access to the post-mortem report, which allegedly contained shocking details including the presence of 150 mg of semen and a fractured pelvic bone, hinting at gang rape.
The Kolkata Police have categorically denied these claims and labelling them as baseless and harmful rumours.
Meanwhile, Locket Chatterjee has been summoned for allegedly disclosing the identity of the rape victim.
Sources said that this, coupled with the misinformation that this was a case of gang rape, have complicated the investigation.
The Kolkata Police have registered two separate cases – one for the dissemination of misleading information and another for the unlawful disclosure of the victim's identity.
The body of the trainee doctor was discovered in the seminar rooms of a Bengal government-run hospital on the morning of August 9. Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer with Kolkata Police, has been arrested in connection with the case. Roy was stationed at the police outpost at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and had access to all departments. He was arrested based on CCTV footage showing him entering the building where the doctor was found murdered.
A four-page postmortem report revealed that the doctor was throttled to death, with her thyroid cartilage broken due to strangulation and a deep wound found in her private parts. Sources indicated that the rape and murder likely occurred between 3 am and 5 am on August 9. In protest against the incident, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) held a 24-hour nationwide strike on August 17, which concluded this morning.
Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry has instructed all state police forces to provide situation reports every two hours following protests by doctors, nursing staff, and others. In a communication to the state police, the ministry emphasised the need to monitor the law and order situation in light of the protests.
“Henceforth, a continuous two-hourly law and order situation report in this regard may kindly be sent to the MHA control room (New Delhi) by Fax/Email/WhatsApp from 1600 hours today,” the communication sent on stated.
The Kolkata Police summoned two prominent doctors and a senior BJP leader for allegedly spreading misinformation and revealing the identity of the trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Doctors Dr Kunal Sarkar and Dr Subarna Goswami, and BJP leader and former MP Locket Chatterjee have been handed out notices, asking them to appear at the police headquarters at Lalbazar by 3 pm today.
Sarkar and Goswami spread false information relating to the investigation and post-mortem report of the case, the police alleged. It said that Goswami, in particular, had reportedly given interviews to media outlets claiming that he had access to the post-mortem report, which allegedly contained shocking details including the presence of 150 mg of semen and a fractured pelvic bone, hinting at gang rape.
The Kolkata Police have categorically denied these claims and labelling them as baseless and harmful rumours.
Meanwhile, Locket Chatterjee has been summoned for allegedly disclosing the identity of the rape victim.
Sources said that this, coupled with the misinformation that this was a case of gang rape, have complicated the investigation.
The Kolkata Police have registered two separate cases – one for the dissemination of misleading information and another for the unlawful disclosure of the victim's identity.
The body of the trainee doctor was discovered in the seminar rooms of a Bengal government-run hospital on the morning of August 9. Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer with Kolkata Police, has been arrested in connection with the case. Roy was stationed at the police outpost at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and had access to all departments. He was arrested based on CCTV footage showing him entering the building where the doctor was found murdered.
A four-page postmortem report revealed that the doctor was throttled to death, with her thyroid cartilage broken due to strangulation and a deep wound found in her private parts. Sources indicated that the rape and murder likely occurred between 3 am and 5 am on August 9. In protest against the incident, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) held a 24-hour nationwide strike on August 17, which concluded this morning.
Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry has instructed all state police forces to provide situation reports every two hours following protests by doctors, nursing staff, and others. In a communication to the state police, the ministry emphasised the need to monitor the law and order situation in light of the protests.
“Henceforth, a continuous two-hourly law and order situation report in this regard may kindly be sent to the MHA control room (New Delhi) by Fax/Email/WhatsApp from 1600 hours today,” the communication sent on stated.