What was the urgency? Calcutta HC questions Bengal govt over demolition work near crime scene at RG Kar Hospital

A High Court bench comprising Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya has asked the state to respond to the allegations that the renovation work was conducted to erase all evidence from the crime scene.

In response, the state counsel said the allegations are incorrect as the demolition work was not conducted near the place of occurrence.

The court questioned the timing when the state counsel said the renovation work was conducted for a restroom of doctors.

The court asked the state counsel, "What was the urgency? ...You go to any district court complex, see if ladies have any restrooms! I say this with responsibility. What has the PWD done? ... We'll shift patients to other hospital, close the (RG Kar) hospital. That will be the best. All the stories - 'within 12 hours rest room have to be provided' - see the condition of the restrooms in the court complexes!"

The trainee doctor was raped and murdered at the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, which is located in North Kolkata's Belgachia area.

She was found in a half naked state with multiple injuries in the whole body from neck and eyes to private parts. The parents were initially told by the hospital that their daughter committed suicide.

One person, a civic volunteer, has been arrested in connection with the case but protesting students suspect more people are involved in the crime.

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday ordered controversial RG Kar principal Dr. Sandip Ghosh, who was appointed as the principal of Calcutta National Medical College within hours of his resignation as the head of RG Kar Medical College, to go on a long leave, coming down heavily on the role of the state government in trying to protect him.

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday snubbed the Chief Minister's deadline and handed over the case to the CBI, which will probe into the matter under the monitoring of the judiciary.

The accused civic volunteer was on Wednesday handed over to the CBI by police.

A massive protest called 'Relcaim The Night' was organised on the eve of 78th Independence Day to seek justice over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee lady doctor at Kolkata's state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and its alleged cover-up that triggered a tsunami of anger against the authorities.