If proven guilty, RG Kar ex-principal, Sandip Ghosh could get death penalty: CBI Court

A designated Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court has denied bail to Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, amidst grave accusations related to the rape and murder of a trainee doctor.

The court highlighted that if proven guilty, Ghosh could face capital punishment, underscoring the severity of the charges against him.

Ghosh was arrested alongside Abhijit Mondal, the former officer in charge of the Tala police station, for allegedly tampering with evidence and delaying the filing of a First Information Report (FIR) following the tragic incident on August 9.

In a ruling delivered on September 25, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate S Dey referenced the ongoing CBI investigation, indicating that it remains in full swing. The magistrate emphasised the serious nature of the allegations, suggesting that releasing Ghosh on bail would violate principles of equity.

"The court believes it would be an injustice to release the accused on bail, given the potential consequences if they are found guilty," said Magistrate Dey. 

The court also denied bail to Mondal and granted the CBI's request for the judicial custody of both accused until September 30.

On the other hand, the Central Bureau of Investigation had summoned left leader Minakshi Mukherjee in the Kolkata trainee doctor rape and murder case. She has been asked to appear before the probing team. 

Minakshi Mukherjee had met the parents of the victim on the day the doctor was murdered. Her party, Democratic Youth Federation of India, has claimed several times that the police could not hurriedly cremate the deceased doctor due to the efforts of the left leader. 

CBI is expected to interrogate Mukherjee over the matter.

The case has sparked nationwide outrage, leading junior doctors from state-run hospitals to engage in a 'cease work' protest that lasted over a month following the discovery of the trainee doctor's body.