RG Kar Case: CBI Questions Former TMC MLA Over Cremation
The Central Bureau of Investigation interrogated former Trinamool Congress legislator Nirmal Ghosh on Thursday regarding the 2024 sexual assault and homicide of a trainee physician at Kolkataβs RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The federal agency summoned the politician to its facility located in the New Town locality of Kolkata.
Key Highlights
- Federal investigators questioned former lawmaker Nirmal Ghosh over allegations of accelerating the victim’s cremation.
- The deceased doctor’s mother, now a BJP legislator, accused ruling party functionaries of preventing a secondary autopsy.
- Agency officials conducted a field site visit to the Panihati crematorium where the final rites occurred.
- The main perpetrator received a life sentence in January 2025, with prosecutors currently seeking the death penalty.
The interrogation follows a legal petition filed in a Sealdah court last month by the victimβs mother, Ratna Debnath, who now serves as a BJP MLA representing Panihati. Her judicial plea demands accountability and legal action against Ghosh, Trinamool Congress councillor Sanjib Mukhopadhyay, and party operative Somnath Das.
Enforcement officials stated that the inquiry focused on claims made by the victim’s family asserting that Ghosh and his associates actively rushed the burial procedures. The family further alleged that the suspects obstructed efforts to conduct a secondary post-mortem examination and executed the cremation without transferring essential documentation.
Simultaneously, investigators from the federal bureau conducted an onsite inspection at the Panihati crematorium on Thursday. Debnath remarked that these recent investigative maneuvers by the agency have re-established her expectations of securing justice for her deceased daughter.
The mother alleged that while the family remained at the Tala police station on August 10, 2024 waiting for a secondary autopsy, the three accused individuals moved the body to their residence. She stated that the men subsequently pressured the family and transferred the remains to the burial ground without obtaining parental authorization.
Law enforcement personnel maintained a significant presence at both the family residence and the burial site. The mother stated that the body was fully prepared for the final rites by the time they arrived, which prevented her from viewing her daughter’s face properly.
The 31-year-old postgraduate trainee physician was discovered deceased inside the state-run medical facility on August 9, 2024. The incident triggered widespread national demonstrations and led to extended strikes by the West Bengal Junior Doctorsβ Front, severely impacting regional healthcare delivery.
The primary convict, Sanjoy Roy, was sentenced to life imprisonment in January 2025. The Calcutta High Court subsequently accepted an appellate petition filed by federal prosecutors in February 2025 demanding capital punishment for the convict.
The federal agency maintains parallel operational inquiries into the destruction of forensic evidence and institutional financial malpractice at the hospital. High-profile individuals implicated in these auxiliary investigations include the former medical college principal Sandip Ghosh and the ex-officer-in-charge of the local Tala police station.
History of the RG Kar Institutional Crisis
The tragedy at the state-run hospital exposed deeper institutional vulnerabilities within the medical infrastructure of West Bengal. Following the incident in August 2024, medical professionals organized prolonged demonstrations targeting systemic corruption and institutional intimidation, widely referred to locally as the “threat culture.” These disruptions halted non-emergency medical operations for weeks, forcing structural administrative overhauls and judicial interventions by the Calcutta High Court to ensure safe working conditions for healthcare personnel.
FAQs
Why did the CBI question former MLA Nirmal Ghosh?
The federal agency questioned him regarding allegations that he pressured the victim’s family, expedited the cremation process, and obstructed a secondary post-mortem examination without proper documentation.
What is the current legal status of the primary accused?
Sanjoy Roy was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in January 2025. The prosecution has filed an appeal in the Calcutta High Court seeking a escalated sentence of capital punishment.
Who else is being investigated by the federal agency in this case?
The agency is investigating former medical principal Sandip Ghosh and the former head of the Tala police station for suspected evidence tampering and financial corruption.
