Kolkata Police summons BJP's Locket Chatterjee, 2 doctors over 'fake news' in RG Kar rape-murder case

The notices require them to appear before the police at 3 pm on Sunday for questioning.

This comes amid a nationwide protest against the brutal rape and murder of the  31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor, whose body was found at the seminar hall of the government-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.

The incident, which has sparked widespread outrage and protests across the country, has also been marred by misinformation.

According to reports, Dr Goswami, in various media interviews, stated that he had seen the post-mortem report and revealed shocking details, including the presence of 150 grams of semen, a fractured pelvic bone, and evidence of gang-rape.

However, the Kolkata Police have categorically refuted these claims, labelling them as fake news.

According to official statements, the post-mortem report contains no such findings. The police have said that these rumours, which quickly spread across social media platforms and fueled public anger, were baseless and misleading.

Responding to the summons, Chatterjee accused the Kolkata Police of prioritising monitoring social media posts over ensuring justice for the victim.

"The victim in the RG Kar case is still crying awaiting trial. But the Kolkata Police now has only one job, judging the posts of opposition leaders and common people by going through social media. The administration has used the police to see what the opposition leaders are posting on social media and to set up their trial," she posted in Bengali on X.

Dr. Sarkar, a renowned cardiologist, has confirmed that he has received the summons to appear at the Kolkata Police headquarters at Lalbazar.

However, Dr Goswami, Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Purba Bardhaman district, said that he is yet to receive the summons.

"I am yet to receive anything. I do not know why Kolkata Police will issue summons to me when they are not investigating the case. I have been saying that I will cooperate with the probe in every possible manner. I didn't reveal the identity of the victim or spread any rumour," Dr Goswami said.

On Saturday, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Dr Sandip Ghosh, was quizzed by CBI officials for the second consecutive day and has been summoned for questioning on Sunday too.  The questioning, which lasted for several hours, focused on his actions and responses on the night of the incident.

The CBI is corroborating Dr Ghosh's account with testimonies from other medical staff and police officers who were on duty that night. He resigned two days after the discovery of the doctor's body on August 9.

The CBI is investigating around 40 individuals, including doctors, interns, and police officers. The agency has already questioned over 20 people, and forensic teams have been deployed to collect and analyse evidence from multiple locations, including the RG Kar hospital and the residence of the prime accused, Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer of Kolkata Police.