Questions arise over Kolkata police handling of doctor's murder case

The Kolkata doctor's rape-murder case is now marred by inconsistencies in the police account, CBI findings, and the victim's family's statements

The Kolkata Police’s handling of the rape and murder case involving a 31-year-old doctor has come under intense scrutiny following their submission of a detailed timeline to the Supreme Court. The case, which has sparked nationwide protests, is now fraught with inconsistencies between the police account, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) findings, and the victim's family’s statements, reported NDTV.

Critical timeline of the events
 

- August 9, 9.30 am: A first-year postgraduate trainee spots the victim’s body from afar and informs his colleagues and senior doctors, who then alert hospital authorities.

- 10.10 am: Tala police station is informed by a police outpost at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital about a woman’s body found unconscious and half-naked on a wooden platform in a seminar room on the third floor of the emergency building. The details are logged as a General Diary Entry, and the officers head to the location.

 

- 10.30 am: Police arrive, secure the crime scene, and notify senior officials.

- 10.52 am: The hospital’s Assistant Superintendent contacts the victim’s family, urging them to come immediately.

- 11.00 am: The homicide team arrives on-site.

- 12.25 pm: Forensic experts, including photographers and fingerprint specialists, arrive, taking the first photograph of the body at 12.29 pm.

- 12.44 pm: The victim is officially declared dead by a doctor.

- 1.00 pm: The victim’s family arrives at the hospital and is escorted to the seminar room shortly thereafter.

- 1.47 pm: The medical and death certificates are handed to the police. The officer documents injuries, including to private parts, and records the case as an unnatural death.

- 3.00 pm: The victim’s family and colleagues demand an inquest and post-mortem in the presence of a Judicial Magistrate and under videography, first verbally and then in writing.

- 4.10 pm: Judicial Magistrate arrives; inquest conducted from 4.20 pm to 4.40 pm, with family and colleagues present and videographed.

- 6.10 pm – 7.10 pm: Post-mortem by forensic doctors with Judicial Magistrate present. Family and colleagues are also present and the procedure is videographed.

- 8.00 pm: A dog squad arrives at the scene, followed by 3D crime scene mapping.

- 8.30 pm – 10.45 pm: The forensic team seizes 40 exhibits, documenting the process on video with local witnesses present. The body is returned to the family after the post-mortem.

- 11.45 pm: An FIR is lodged based on the victim’s father’s complaint, accusing rape and murder.

The police have stated that suspect examinations and witness questioning began on August 9, leading to the arrest of the accused, Sanjay Roy, the following morning after his confession. The case is now under CBI investigation following a directive from the Calcutta High Court.

Discrepancies in the Kolkata doctor’s murder case
 

1. Death confirmation delay: The timeline shows a troubling delay of over three hours in confirming the victim’s death, raising questions about the necessity of a doctor’s confirmation when the body was found lifeless.

2. Suicide claim: Discrepancies have emerged regarding the victim’s parents being informed of a suicide. The police timeline omits this detail, while the family claims they received multiple calls indicating a suicide before the police report.

3. Family access: The victim’s family alleges they were made to wait three hours before viewing the body, contrasting with the police timeline which suggests immediate access. 

4. FIR filing delay: Both the Calcutta High Court and Supreme Court have questioned the delay in FIR filing, with Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud criticising the 14-hour gap between the body’s discovery and FIR registration.

5. Crime scene integrity: The police timeline indicates the crime scene was secured an hour after the body was found. However, the CBI argues that the scene was compromised before their involvement, complicating the investigation.

The inconsistencies in the police timeline have further intensified public outrage and scrutiny, with the Supreme Court examining the adequacy of the police response in this high-profile case.