Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha member Sukhendu Sekhar Ray on Monday said he has moved the Calcutta high court after getting summon from the Kolkata Police over his social media post on the August 9 rape and murder of a 31-year-old junior doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in the city.
“I have moved the Calcutta high court against the illegal notice of the police, intimidation and high-handedness. The matter is likely to be heard on Tuesday,” Ray told HT.
On Sunday, the Kolkata Police summoned the TMC leader to its Lalbazar headquarters citing a post he wrote on X saying the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should take police commissioner Vineet Goyal into its custody and question him in the August 9 rape and murder case.
On Saturday night, 75-year-old Ray, a three-time member of the Upper House, wrote: “CBI must act fairly. Custodial interrogation of Ex Principal and Police Commissioner is a must to know who and why floated suicide story. Why wall of hall demolished, who patronised Roy to be so powerful, why sniffer dog used after 3 days.100s of such questions. Make them speak.”
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior police official said, “Roy was summoned because he spread misinformation about the sniffer dogs. They were taken to the crime scene as soon as the investigation started on August 9. Police issued a public notice two days ago saying anybody spreading misinformation or exposing the identity of the victim would face action.”
{{/usCountry}}Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior police official said, “Roy was summoned because he spread misinformation about the sniffer dogs. They were taken to the crime scene as soon as the investigation started on August 9. Police issued a public notice two days ago saying anybody spreading misinformation or exposing the identity of the victim would face action.”
{{/usCountry}}On Sunday, Ray posted a song by Rabindranath Tagore on X: “I shall not be afraid. I shall not die, every now and then, before death.”
“Police are taking action against all posts to stop the spreading of lies. If you want to protest, do it in the in the right way with justification. Protest thousand times. But police will alert you if the post contains erroneous facts, fake audio and are intended to deliberately incite people,” Kunal Ghosh, TMC leader posted on X.
The Kolkata Police also sent summons on Sunday to Dr Kunal Sarkar, a well-known heart surgeon, and Dr Subarna Goswami, office-bearer in at least three doctor’s organizations that have supported the protests and demanded action against RG Kar Medical College and Hospital officials many of whom were promptly transferred after the crime.
Suvendu Adhikari, leader of the opposition in the state legislative assembly wrote on X that the he was ready to provide free legal assistance
“I believe Free Speech is the backbone of a healthy Democracy. So if anyone is being harassed for just posting their opinion and if the post is not outright vulgar, I am ready to provide Legal Assistance at free of cost,” Adhikari wrote on X.