Calcutta HC orders CBI SIT to probe lapses in RG Kar rape-murder case

The Calcutta high court, hearing a plea filed by the parents of the RG Kar rape-murder victim, on Thursday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to form a three-member special investigation team (SIT) within 48 hours to probe alleged "lapses" by the state police and hospital authorities during the initial investigation and the alleged destruction of evidence.

The SIT, headed by the CBI's joint director (eastern zone), has been asked to submit a detailed report to the court by June 25.

"The ongoing investigation should focus on the lapses identified by CBI in the report dated March 28, 2025. CBI has indicated such lapses on the part of the police and the hospital authorities during the investigation, prior to the investigation being handed over to CBI," the court observed.

The special bench of Justices Shampa Sarkar and Tirthankar Ghosh also said the central agency could re-examine the victim's parents and other witnesses.

The court is hearing a petition filed by the parents of the young doctor, who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on Aug 9, 2024.

The plea, pending for nearly a year and seven months, alleges that Sanjay Roy - the only person arrested in the case - may not have acted alone.

They have also claimed that the seminar hall where the body was found was not the actual crime scene.

They further accused CBI investigating officer Seema Pahuja of overlooking crucial evidence.

After directing the formation of the SIT, however, the bench clarified that it was not commenting on the "credibility" of the probe conducted by Pahuja, who was present in court.

"Let us trust the system. They will do it... We are not aggrieved by what she has done," the bench observed.

During the hearing, the parents' counsel, Jayanta Narayan Chatterjee, alleged attempts to "hush up" the crime, saying: "Why was she murdered? She knew of several rackets, that is why she was murdered."

He also claimed investigators failed to probe the role of the delivery worker who brought dinner for the victim hours before the crime.