Mamata Banerjee to transfer doctor’s rape and murder case to CBI if police investigation isn’t completed by Sunday

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Monday that the investigation into the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital will be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) if the Kolkata Police does not complete its probe by the coming Sunday. The case is currently being investigated by a special investigation team (SIT) under the supervision of the city’s joint commissioner (crime), Murli Dhar. Banerjee made this statement after meeting with the victim’s family members.

The Chief Minister’s announcement came shortly after the Kolkata Police issued a public appeal through social media, asking the public to trust the ongoing investigation by the SIT. Banerjee emphasized that if the victim’s family or the protesting junior doctors and medical students at R.G. Kar Medical College insist on a CBI probe, she would not oppose the request.

Supporting the Chief Minister’s stance, Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal also confirmed that the case would be transferred to the CBI if the investigation was not concluded by the stipulated time. Banerjee, however, expressed reservations about the effectiveness of the CBI, noting that the agency had not yet resolved the case of the stolen Nobel Medal of Rabindranath Tagore. Nevertheless, she emphasized that the decision to involve the CBI was made to ensure public confidence in the investigation.

Banerjee also revealed that she has instructed the city police to expedite the process, including filing the charge sheet within the next three to four days and seeking a fast-track trial. She mentioned the possibility of appealing for capital punishment if the guilty party is convicted, stating that such a heinous crime does not deserve leniency.

In her address, the Chief Minister expressed solidarity with the protesting junior doctors and medical students, acknowledging the legitimacy of their demands and assuring them of her full support.