Ex-RG Kar principal, police officer given bail in trainee doctor rape case

The Sealdah court in Kolkata granted bail as central bureau of investigation (CBI) failed to submit the charge sheet against them within the 90-day period

Kolkata: The Sealdah court in Kolkata on Friday granted bail to Sandip Ghosh, former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, and Abhijit Mondal, former officer-in-charge of Tala police station, as the central bureau of investigation (CBI) failed to submit the charge-sheet against them within the 90-day period.

Sandip Ghosh will not be released as the CBI has charged him with financial irregularities at the hospital during his tenure from 2021 to 2024 (PTI)

The federal agency is probing the rape and murder of a trainee female doctor at RG Kar Hospital on August 9 and had arrested Ghosh and Mondal. They were accused of “tampering with evidence” and “facilitating the hasty cremation of the woman doctor,” while her family had specifically demanded a second autopsy.

“The public prosecutor of CBI has laid down that the CBI is not going to file any prayer of remand. The CBI is not going to file the charge-sheet for the time being though investigation is going on regarding the involvement of both the accused. The counsel of both the accused are praying for release on bail popularly known as ‘default bail’ on the ground that no charge-sheet has been filed,” the court order stated.

The provision of section 187 of BNS has given statutory right to the accused to be released on bail if no charge-sheet is filed within 90 days.

“The CBI didn’t find any evidence against Ghosh and Mondal. The agency couldn’t submit the charge sheet within the time frame, and they were granted bail by the additional chief judicial magistrate’s court in Sealdah,” said Zohaib Rauf, Ghosh’s advocate.

While Mondal will be released from the Presidency Correctional Home, Ghosh will not be released as the CBI has charged him with financial irregularities at the hospital during his tenure from 2021 to 2024.

The 31-year-old trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered by Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer with Kolkata Police, on August 9. The incident sparked nationwide outrage. On August 13, the Calcutta High Court transferred the investigation to the CBI.

On October 7, the CBI filed its first charge-sheet in the case, charging Sanjay Roy, the prime accused, with the rape and murder of the trainee doctor. The trial is ongoing and the CBI recently informed the Supreme Court about its progress.

The CBI had previously told the Sealdah court that Ghosh and Mondal attempted to tamper with evidence and vital data related to the case. False records were allegedly created inside the Tala police station to suppress the matter. Ghosh and Mondal’s lawyers refuted the charges.

The agency had decided to conduct polygraph tests on Roy and Ghosh. While Mondal declined to undergo a polygraph test, Ghosh refused to undergo a narco-analysis test.

The CBI has also filed a charge-sheet in connection with the alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital during Ghosh’s tenure.

On August 24, the CBI registered an FIR against Ghosh and three firms – Ma Tara Traders in Howrah, Eshan Café in Belgachia, and Khama Louha – under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

On September 2, the CBI arrested Ghosh and three others on charges of financial irregularities.