Verdict on R.G. Kar Case Imminent, Questions Arise About a Wider Conspiracy

The verdict in the R.G. Kar case may be delivered on January 18. The judgment will be issued amid ongoing questions about the CBI investigation. Once again, junior doctors have taken to the streets, spending nights in protest.

On August 9, the body of a young female doctor was found at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital. The investigation was transferred from the police to the CBI. This incident spurred an unprecedented movement demanding swift justice, spreading from Kolkata to districts across the state. The eagerly awaited verdict in the case may be announced within days.

Case Details
On the night of August 8, while the doctor was resting, she was allegedly raped and murdered. The police arrested civic volunteer Sanjay Roy on the day the body was found. Later, after the CBI assumed control, former hospital principal Sandeep Ghosh and Tala police station's OC Abhijit Mandal were also arrested.

Throughout the trial, 51 witnesses have been examined, including several classmates who were with the victim on the day of the incident. Statements from the victim’s father, forensic experts, and investigators from both Kolkata Police and the CBI have been recorded.

In the absence of eyewitnesses, investigators have relied on biological samples collected from the scene. CCTV footage and other digital evidence have also been pivotal. Based on this evidence, the CBI filed a chargesheet at Sealdah Court, naming Sanjay Roy as the accused.

Several weeks of continuous hearings ensued, including one on Thursday, where Sanjay was present in court. Sanjay has consistently claimed innocence, alleging an attempt to frame him. According to court sources, the verdict may be delivered at around 3 p.m. on January 18.

Investigation Under Scrutiny
From Sanjay’s arrest to the CBI chargesheet, questions have persisted. The victim’s family and activists have repeatedly voiced doubts, arguing that Sanjay could not have acted alone.

The victim’s mother remarked, "Sanjay may be guilty, but it is hard to believe he alone killed my daughter. How could an outsider gain access to a secured hospital without anyone noticing?" She hinted at a broader conspiracy, asserting, "Someone within the hospital must be involved. The CBI must expose the real culprits. Only when all those responsible are punished will we find peace."

The victim's father also expressed distrust of the CBI, stating, "What Kolkata Police achieved in a few days, the CBI couldn’t accomplish in months. Is this how investigations are supposed to work?"

A Vigil for Justice
The R.G. Kar movement has resonated far beyond Bengal, even drawing international attention. People from various professions, not just the medical community, have expressed solidarity. Despite sit-ins, protests, and hunger strikes, outrage intensified when Sandeep Ghosh and Abhijit Mandal’s names were excluded from the CBI chargesheet.

Women joined night-long protests demanding justice. As the verdict approaches, junior doctors have once again taken to the streets. Since Thursday evening, members of the Junior Doctors’ Front have observed the ‘Stay Awake’ campaign, supported by Service Doctors Forum, Medical Service Center, Abhaya Mancha, and other organizations.

An impromptu protest site near Shyambazar’s Five-Point Crossing has seen activists endure the cold night, delivering speeches, reciting poetry, and staging plays. Alongside anticipation of the verdict, frustration and doubt prevail.

Anindya Mondal, a member of the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front, told DW, "The investigators have not been impartial—this has been evident from the start. The CFSL report confirms it. Sanjay Roy was not alone; others were involved. What we see is far from the truth. If the CFSL report is accurate, the CBI’s findings cannot be trusted. Abhaya’s parents have raised these questions. We demand answers, and until justice is done and these questions are resolved, our movement will persist."

He added, "Despite our busy schedules, junior doctors have remained steadfast in protest. The public supports us. A conspiracy has masked the truth, making only Sanjay Roy the scapegoat."

Arnab Talukdar, a junior doctor at NRS Hospital, expressed pessimism about the case’s progress. "Given the trajectory of the trial, we have little hope. We still don’t know Sanjay Roy’s motive or why the attack happened on August 14. The CFSL and DNA reports strongly suggest Sanjay wasn’t acting alone. Many questions about the investigation remain unanswered, and we are not optimistic about the verdict on the 18th."

He concluded, "Nevertheless, we must intensify our fight for justice. The CBI has failed to push the case forward meaningfully, offering no answers after all this time."

Akhtar Ali, former deputy superintendent of R.G. Kar Medical College and a prominent activist, said, "If Abhaya does not get justice, it will signify that no woman in India can expect justice when wronged. We are waiting, fighting across the nation. If we are denied justice, faith in law and order will erode. If we can’t trust the system even after the CFSL and DNA reports, how can we believe any girl will receive justice?"

Ali continued, "If authorities ignore the DNA and CFSL findings, when will they act? We will fight until Abhaya gets justice."