The Sealdah court on Wednesday turned down an appeal from the parents of the slain RG Kar doctor to visit the hospital crime scene with their lawyers.
Additional chief judicial magistrate Arijit Mandal rejected the plea, stating that since the CBI is investigating the rape and murder of the junior doctor, the lower court cannot permit a parallel probe.
Mandal questioned how the parents could seek to visit the crime scene while an investigation was underway. He asked them to approach a higher court if they wished.
The court also asked the CBI why it had not objected to the parents’ request. Mandal asked why the agency had not opposed what seemed to be an appeal for a parallel probe.
“The CBI is probing a larger conspiracy in this case, and arrests have been made. If there is nothing to probe, then why were they arrested? The state of the CBI is pathetic,” an advocate present in court quoted the magistrate as saying.
A team of lawyers representing the parents, led by advocate Phiroze Edulji, had earlier approached Calcutta High Court for permission to visit the RG Kar Hospital crime scene. The junior doctor was raped and murdered in the seminar hall of the emergency building in August 2024.
The lawyers sought permission to visit the place where the crime occurred, “except the seminar hall” where the doctor’s body was found.
The high court sought the CBI’s view, as the agency had probed the case.
While the CBI did not object, the state’s counsel questioned the purpose of the visit since the court has not yet ruled on a possible “further investigation” into the rape and murder.
The high court declined to give its opinion and directed the parents to approach the Sealdah court, where the trial was held.
On Monday, the Sealdah court summoned former RG Kar principal Sandip Ghosh and then Tala police station officer-in-charge Abhijit Mandal. Both appeared on Tuesday and opposed the plea. The CBI counsel said they had no objection and suggested a possible date for the visit, at least a month later, if the court permitted it.
Convict’s appeal
Sanjay Roy, sentenced to life for the rape and murder of the junior doctor at RG Kar last year, moved a division bench of Calcutta High Court on Wednesday, seeking to set aside the CBI court’s verdict.
Justice Debangsu Basak directed Roy’s lawyer to serve notices to the parties involved, including the state and the CBI. He said the bench would hear on July 16 whether the plea is maintainable.