Kolkata Doctor's Rape-Murder Update: Lawyer Blasts Mamata Banerjee, Reveals Parents Rejected Compensation

Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, the legal counsel representing the parents of the RG Kar Hospital rape and murder victim, leveled serious accusations against the West Bengal government on Monday.

He claimed that the state is attempting to influence witnesses in the ongoing investigation into the brutal crime, which occurred within the premises of the state-run hospital in Kolkata, as reported by ANI.

Photo Credit: PTI

Kolkata Doctor's Rape-Murder Update - Lawyer Blasts Mamata Banerjee

Bhattacharya did not hold back in his criticism of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of consistently downplaying crimes against women by offering monetary compensation to the victims' families. "The role of the CM in West Bengal is very condemnable. Whenever a rape occurs, she immediately reaches out to the victim's family, offers them money, and then claims the matter is settled. Unfortunately, she has set a 'rate card' for rape victims," Bhattacharya said, according to ANI.

The lawyer further alleged that Banerjee often tries to "purchase" witnesses, a tactic he believes was also attempted in this case. "She attempts to buy off witnesses, and that attempt was also made here. However, the parents of the victim girl firmly refused because they did not want to be part of the CM's game," Bhattacharya added.

The victim's father recently stated that he rejected any compensation offers because his daughter would not have approved of it, saying it would have hurt her. Bhattacharya also criticized the Kolkata Police's handling of the case, particularly targeting the police commissioner. "The police commissioner should not have held press conferences. He has proven to be completely ineffective in managing the situation. In my opinion, the police's actions following the report are far from satisfactory," he said, as per media reports.

The tragic incident occurred when the post-graduate trainee doctor, exhausted after a gruelling 36-hour shift, went to the seminar hall to rest. She was brutally raped and tortured before being smothered to death. While the police have arrested a civic volunteer, Sanjoy Roy, in connection with the crime, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the probe.

The CBI is currently interrogating the former principal of RG Kar Hospital, Dr. Sandip Ghosh, focusing on why he made the victim's parents wait for three hours before allowing them to see their daughter's body. With the investigation ongoing, Bhattacharya emphasized that the victim's family has granted him the authority to pursue justice in court, where the CBI is expected to submit its findings.