Kolkata Rape Murder Case: How Suicide Was Planned?

On August 9, 2024, at 8 AM, a routine shift change was about to occur in the hospital. During this time, some postgraduate students discovered a dead body in the seminar hall of the emergency building. The body belonged to a trainee doctor working at the hospital. They immediately informed HOD Arunav Dutta Choudhury and Principal Sandeep Ghosh. Principal Ghosh then informed Vice Principal Sanjay Vashisth, and everyone arrived at the seminar hall.

What Happened Next

According to a professor from the medical college who spoke to Dainik Bhaskar, four key individuals were notably present at the scene: Unit Incharge and Assistant Professor Sumit Kumar Tapadar, Additional Medical Superintendent Dweepayan Biswas, Vice President of the West Bengal Medical Council Dr. Sushanta Kumar Roy, and Council member Dr. Avik De.

The inside story of the rape and murder of the trainee doctor came to light when we visited RG Kar hospital on August 9. We spoke to students, doctors, and professors who were present at the scene. There were several key figures involved, each with their own roles.

Sources reveal that it was unclear exactly what had happened to the trainee doctor, but the condition of the body clearly indicated a murder. Sumit and Dweepayan were assigned specific responsibilities: Dweepayan was tasked with spreading the narrative among the media, students, and doctors that the trainee doctor had committed suicide, while Sumit was responsible for informing and dealing with the police about the case.

The Role of Dr. Sushanta Kumar and Dr. Avik De

Dr. Sushanta Kumar Roy and Dr. Avik De were not affiliated with RG Kar hospital or involved in the case. It remains unclear why they were present and who sent them.

The question arises as to why a suicide theory was developed when the evidence pointed towards a murder. This information was also shared with the doctor’s family, who were told that their daughter had committed suicide. The intentions behind this narrative are currently under investigation by the CBI.

Protests and Developments

Students and doctors gathered at the hospital and started protesting, making two demands:

1. Videography of the post-mortem.
2. Formation of a three-member committee for investigation.

They demanded immediate post-mortem of the deceased doctor with video recording and the formation of a three-member committee for the investigation.

By 1 PM, the victim’s parents and an uncle arrived at the hospital. The first person to view the body was the victim’s uncle. The magistrate arrived around 3 PM, and students and doctors continued their protest until then, demanding judicial oversight.

Timeline and Delays

A professor revealed that Assistant Professor Sumit Tapadar informed the police of the body at 10:10 AM. The police arrived at 10:30 AM, and the forensic team began examining the crime scene around 1 PM. The body was taken for post-mortem at 6:10 PM, which concluded at 7:10 PM. The FIR was finally filed at 11:45 PM, which was heavily criticized.

Supreme Court’s Observations

On August 22, the Supreme Court criticized the police and hospital management for their negligence. The court pointed out that FIR should have been filed immediately and emphasized the delay in documenting the unnatural death.

Chief Justice Chandrachud noted that a disturbing aspect was the delay in registering the unnatural death, which should have been documented at 10:10 AM. There were lapses in securing the crime scene and collecting evidence until late at night.

Justice JB Pardiwala expressed doubts about Kolkata police’s role and said he had not seen such negligence in his 30-year career. The next hearing is scheduled for September 5.

CBI Investigation

The CBI is investigating the case and has called in five doctors for questioning: suspended Medical Superintendent and Vice Principal Sanjay Vashisth, Head of Chest Department Arunav Dutta Choudhury, and Forensic Medicine Associate Professors Reena Das, Mauli Banerjee, and Apurba Biswas.