CBI’s late-night suspension ends drama over Mamata Banerjee’s meeting with doctors

Calcutta:

Saturday was a day of dramatic developments in the Kolkata doctor rape and murder case and protests over the heinous crime. In the afternoon, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee paid a surprise visit to the state health secretariat, where doctors protested demanding justice for their colleague and the removal of several senior officials. The Chief Minister invited the doctors for talks last night. The doctors reached her residence, but the talks could not take place due to differences over whether the meeting would be telecast live.

Amid intense drama outside the chief minister’s residence, with Ms Banerjee waiting at the gate and doctors under umbrellas outside, the CBI has booked Dr Sandip Ghosh, former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where the rape and murder took place, for tampering with evidence. The central agency has also arrested Abhijit Mondal, in-charge of Tala police station, which covers the hospital.

The BJP has now alleged that Ms Banerjee cancelled the meeting with the doctors because she was “demoralised” over the arrest of Dr Ghosh and the police officer for tampering with evidence.

Why the meeting did not take place

After the chief minister’s call in the afternoon, the protesters reached her residence in Kalighat around 6:45 pm. The doctors had demanded live telecast of the meeting, but the state government did not agree. Senior officials said that live telecast of the discussions at the chief minister’s residence was not possible. The doctors then said that they would be allowed to film the meeting. The state government also refused and said that it would record the meeting and the recording would be provided to the doctors later as the matter is sub judice. This created another standoff as the doctors insisted on providing them with the recording after the meeting. At one point, Ms Banerjee came out and invited the doctors in. “You can trust me, I will not mislead you. Even if you do not attend the meeting, at least have a cup of tea.” She also said that the doctors were “insulting” her. The doctors stressed that they wanted the recording. She then said she “could not agree to all your requests.”

Finally, around 9 pm, the doctors decided to join the meeting, but state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya and chief secretary Dr Manoj Pant told them it was too late.

CBI Night Move

Soon after the doctors returned to the protest site, the CBI took a major step forward. Dr Ghosh, former principal of RG Kar Medical College, was charged with tampering with evidence in the rape and murder case. Mr Ghosh had earlier been arrested in connection with alleged financial irregularities in the hospital management. His role after the discovery of the 31-year-old doctor’s body has been repeatedly scrutinised and the High Court and Supreme Court have questioned why the hospital authorities did not register a police complaint after the doctor’s body was found. Along with Dr Ghosh, Abhijit Mondal, in-charge of Tala police station, was also arrested on the same charge. The arrest of the former principal and the senior police officer for tampering with evidence has strengthened the protester’s allegations that the police and hospital administration had carried out a massive cover-up after the doctor’s body was found.

At the protest site, news of the arrests sparked celebrations. “We are very happy that the CBI has arrested them. The CBI should arrest other people who tampered with evidence,” a doctor told ANI.

BJP leader’s big charge

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari linked the cancelled meeting between the chief minister and doctors to the late-night arrests. “The exact reason for the cancellation of the meeting between the chief minister and junior doctors is that Mamata Banerjee has become demoralised due to the arrest of OC, Tala Primary School and former RG Kar principal Sandip Ghosh in the rape and murder case.

She fears that the next person in the queue will be Vineet Goyal. That’s why CM has asked Chandrima Bhattacharya and Manoj Pant to cancel the meeting,” he said in a message on X.

The exact reason for the cancellation of the meeting between the CM and the junior doctors is that Mamata Banerjee was demoralized due to the arrest of OC; Tala PS and former RG Kar director Sandip Ghosh in the rape and murder case.
She fears that the next person in line will be… pic.twitter.com/4P2zGOpiqX

– Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) September 14, 2024

According to the Trinamool, the chief minister waited for the protesting doctors for three hours and even came out of her house to invite them. “Has anyone seen a chief minister like this? When everyone left, they wanted to talk. Let’s see what happens,” she told local media last night.