Twist in Kolkata doctor murder case: BJP releases new video of victim's parents

PTC Information Office: The rape and murder case of a medical intern at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata is becoming increasingly complex, with fresh allegations against the Kolkata police and the involvement of political parties making matters worse. Sanjay Roy, the sole accused, has been arrested, but new evidence, including videos of the victim’s parents, has raised questions about the integrity of the investigation.

Victim’s family accuses police of repression

The victim’s family, who participated in the protests along with doctors from RG Kar Hospital, accused the Kolkata police of trying to cover up the case. They claimed that the police rushed the cremation of their daughter’s body against their wishes. The victim’s father expressed frustration at the protest, saying, “We wanted to keep our daughter’s body, but extraordinary pressure was put on us and the body was cremated.”

He also claimed that a senior police officer offered him money when his daughter’s body was returned after the autopsy. “I told him what I thought and refused to accept money,” the father said, without specifying why he was offered the money.

Allegations of police misconduct

West Bengal Women and Child Development Minister Shashi Panja addressed these concerns at a press conference on Thursday. While refraining from criticising the victim’s family, Panja urged the federal police, which took over the case last month, to expedite the investigation and reveal the truth.

“We respect what the family says: they lost their daughter,” Panja said, but she also warned against any political pressure that could influence the investigation. She stressed that the government did not want to “autopsy” the parents’ statements, and called for a speedy resolution of the case.

TMC denies cover-up accusations

The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) party quickly denied the cover-up allegations, citing a recently released video showing the victim’s family satisfied with the police investigation. The TMC said the video contradicted the family’s current position.

The family, however, reacted quickly, claiming that the video was recorded under duress by the police soon after the cremation. Speaking to a Bengali news channel, they said, “The video was shot by the police just days after the incident, and we were forced to participate in it.” They further accused the police of trying to protect former RG Kar director Sandip Ghosh.

Minister Panja dismissed allegations of police misconduct, noting that a second video had surfaced in which the parents themselves denied being offered money. The authenticity of these videos, released at a TMC press conference, has not been independently verified.

“We cannot imagine the pain of the grieving parents. The incident is extremely unfortunate and we have all demanded justice for the victim,” Panja said, while calling for avoiding politicising the tragedy. “There should be no political pressure on the parents to say or do anything.”

BJP enters the fray

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) escalated the situation by sharing a video of the victim’s parents, adding fuel to the controversy. BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya posted the video online, accusing the TMC and Kolkata Police of coercing the family into a cover-up.

“TMC hackers are circulating a video of deceased doctor RG Kar’s family claiming that West Bengal Police did not offer them any money. Now listen to the parents’ version,” Malviya wrote on X (formerly Twitter). He then claimed that Kolkata Police had threatened the parents to derail the investigation if they did not deny the corruption allegations on camera.

Malviya also accused the Kolkata police of conducting a bogus investigation, saying chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s administration was pressurising the grieving family. “The parents, who had just lost a 31-year-old daughter, were being hounded by Vineet Goyal and his team of officers on the instructions of Mamata Banerjee,” he said.

National demonstrations and mobilization of doctors

The death of the trainee doctor on August 9 triggered widespread protests, with junior doctors in West Bengal walking off duty in solidarity. Panja expressed support for the doctors, calling their agitation justified, but expressed hope that they would resume duty once the situation stabilises.

“The agitation of the doctors is justified and should be treated with empathy. They will definitely return to work when they feel the time is right,” Panja added.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders accused the state government of trying to cover up the case, with BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya saying, “The TMC government has gone out of its way to cover this up. The family’s statement has exposed the TMC and the police.”

As the investigation continues and political parties trade accusations, the case has gained national attention, with many demanding justice for the victim and transparency in the investigation.

Also read: New twist in the murder case of a doctor in Calcutta, parents denounce an attempt at police corruption

– With contributions from agencies