The Kolkata Police on Sunday summoned two prominent doctors and a senior BJP leader for allegedly spreading misinformation and revealing the identity of the trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Notices were issued to Dr Kunal Sarkar, Dr Subarna Goswami, and BJP leader and former MP Locket Chatterjee, requiring them to appear at the police headquarters at Lalbazar by 3 pm today.
The police alleged that Dr Sarkar and Dr Goswami disseminated false information related to the investigation and post-mortem report of the case. Dr Subarna Goswami, in particular, had reportedly given interviews to media outlets claiming that he had access to the post-mortem report, which allegedly contained shocking details including the presence of 150 mg of semen and a fractured pelvic bone, hinting at gang rape.
However, the Kolkata Police have categorically refuted these claims, labelling them as baseless and harmful rumours.
In addition to the doctors, BJP leader Locket Chatterjee has been summoned for allegedly disclosing the identity of the rape victim, a serious violation under Indian law. Sources within the police department have indicated that this disclosure, coupled with the spread of misinformation, has complicated the ongoing investigation.
Two separate cases have been registered by the Kolkata Police -- one for the dissemination of misleading information and another for the unlawful disclosure of the victim's identity.
The situation remains tense as the summoned individuals are expected to present themselves at Lalbazar for questioning.
The body of the trainee doctor was found in the hospital's seminar rooms of the Bengal government-run hospital on August 9 morning. A civic volunteer with Kolkata Police, Sanjoy Roy, has been arrested in connection with the case. He was stationed at the police outpost at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, and had access to all departments. He was arrested based on CCTV visuals that showed him entering the building where the doctor was found murdered.
A four-page postmortem report of the trainee doctor revealed that she was throttled to death. Her thyroid cartilage was broken due to strangling and a deep wound was found in her private parts. Sources said the rape and murder likely happened between 3 am and 5 am on August 9.
A 24-hour nationwide strike by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in protest against the rape and murder of the woman doctor was held on August 17 which ended today morning.
