Women raise slogans as they demand justice for the doctor who was raped and murdered in Kolkata
The parents of the trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital told the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that several interns and physicians from the hospital may be involved in the crime, an officer said on Friday.
The parents also gave the CBI the names of people who they suspect to be involved in their daughter's rape and murder at the state-run hospital. The CBI is investigating the case under an order from the Calcutta High Court.
"The parents told us that they suspect the involvement of multiple people behind the sexual assault and murder of their daughter. They have given names of a few interns and doctors who worked with her at the hospital," a CBI officer told news agency PTI.
The CBI is prioritising the questioning of these individuals, as well as officers from the Kolkata Police who were part of the initial investigation.
"We have identified at least 30 suspects and have started questioning them," the CBI officer said.
The CBI today summoned a house staff member and two post-graduate trainees who were on duty with the doctor the night she was raped and murdered. The CBI took the former hospital principal, Dr Sandip Ghosh, for questioning.
Dr Ghosh had resigned two days after the woman's body was found. He said he feared being attacked and sought protection from the Calcutta High Court, which directed him to approach a single Bench.
The CBI made the arrested accused - a civic volunteer - walk through a reconstruction of the crime scene using an advanced 3D method in the seminar hall of the hospital, the officer said. The body of the post-graduate trainee was found in the seminar room on August 9.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today accused the opposition CPI(M) and the BJP of orchestrating vandalism at RG Kar Hospital and trying to distort the truth behind the rape-murder of the woman doctor.
"We want the truth to come out, but some quarters are spreading lies to mislead people. Attempts are being made to hide the truth by circulating fake news on social media. We condemn these activities. We want the culprits to be punished," she said while addressing a rally.
In a strong retort to her, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia called the Opposition bloc INDIA leaders "political vultures" who speak out on crimes against women as per their political convenience. Mr Bhatia termed Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Manish Sisodia, Uddhav Thackeray and other leaders of the INDIA bloc "political vultures", and said they should rise above their vote bank politics and "break their silence" on such heinous crimes.
"This silence will cost the INDIA bloc dearly. These people are not politicians or public leaders, they are political vultures who speak out on crimes against sisters and daughters after seeing which state government is there," he said, adding law and order has collapsed in Bengal.
"Now the case has come to the CBI. Soon all the guilty will be given the harshest punishment, no accused will be spared, no matter how big a leader is protecting them," the BJP spokesperson said.
Protests are being held across the country by medical students and doctors, demanding a law to ensure safety in hospitals and workplaces of medical professionals.
With inputs from PTI