Kolkata rape-murder case: Mamata Banerjee-doctors' impasse continues, Sandip Ghosh arrested | 10 points

The protest by medics outside the state health department headquarters in Salt Lake entered its fifth day on Saturday.

Kolkata doctor rape-murder: The deadlock between junior doctors and the West Bengal government continued on Saturday as the delegation that went to meet chief minister Mamata Banerjee at her residence returned without having any meeting with her.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee interacts with junior doctors delegation, at her Kalighat residence in Kolkata on Sept. 14, 2024. (PTI)

The junior doctors requested for a live streaming of the meeting or be allowed to video-graph the proceedings. The state government rejected the proposal, saying the videography would be done by the government only.

The protest by medics outside the state health department headquarters in Salt Lake entered its fifth day on Saturday. They have been demanding justice for the junior doctor who was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital last month.

Here's the latest on the Kolkata doctor rape-murder case

1. Mamata Banerjee on Saturday afternoon made a surprise visit outside the Swasthya Bhawan where junior doctors have been protesting. She assured them that their demands would be addressed, asking them to come for talks.
2. “I have spent sleepless nights as you have been protesting on the road amid rain. I assure you that I will study your demands, take action if someone is found guilty,” Mamata Banerjee told the protesting doctors.
3. The move was welcomed by the junior doctors, who said that they were ready to hold talks anywhere and anytime. In the evening, the state’s chief secretary invited a team of 15 doctors at the chief minister’s residence in Kalighat at 6 pm for a discussion “with open mind”.
4. The medics, however, reached Banerjee's residence with a team of 30 representatives along with two videographers at around 6.40pm. The meeting, however, failed to take off.
5. While the junior doctors requested for a live streaming of the meeting or be allowed to video-graph the proceedings, the government rejected the proposal, saying the videography would be done by the government only.
6. As the stalemate continued, Banerjee met the protesters waiting outside in the incessant rain at around 8:30 pm. “We will videograph the entire meeting and share the recording with you after getting the Supreme Court’s permission as the court is hearing the matter. You may trust me. I won’t mislead you. We will share the signed minutes of the meeting,” Banerjee told the junior doctors.
7. An agitating doctor, however, said they had agreed to attend the meeting without live-streaming or video recording as Banerjee requested, but after notifying Minister of State for Health, Chandrima Bhattacharya, of this decision, they were told to leave because it was too late and the officials had been waiting for three hours, according to PTI.
8. “We will decide on the future course of action after a general body meeting,” said one protester.
9. Meanwhile, the CBI arrested RG Kar Medical College and Hospital's ex-principal Sandip Ghosh and Abhijit Mondal, the officer-in-charge of Tala police station, for alleged delay in the registration of the FIR and missing evidence in the postgraduate trainee doctor's brutal rape and murder.
10. "The policeman has been questioned eight times earlier and every time he gave different versions. He has been arrested and will be produced in the court tomorrow," an unidentified CBI officer told PTI. He was taken to a hospital for the customary post-arrest medical test.