Kolkata, 17 July (H.S.):

The parents of the female junior doctor who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital have expressed deep dissatisfaction with the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) handling of the case, raising concerns over the agency’s neutrality and intent to deliver justice.

According to sources close to the family, the victim’s parents have filed a petition in a lower court, questioning the impartiality of the ongoing CBI probe. Their apprehension is primarily centered around the association between two senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers—CBI Additional Director Sampat Meena and West Bengal DGP Vineet Kumar Goyal—both of whom belong to the 1994 IPS batch and reportedly trained together.

The family's counsel argued in court that this shared background could potentially compromise the investigation, particularly if it involves holding a batchmate accountable. At the time of the incident on August 9, 2024, Vineet Goyal was serving as the Commissioner of Kolkata Police and was overseeing the initial investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT). However, due to mounting public outrage, he was later removed from the position, and the Calcutta High Court transferred the case to the CBI.

In its response, the CBI dismissed the claims, stating that merely being from the same batch does not automatically affect an officer’s impartiality. The agency's lawyer emphasized that there is no evidence linking Vineet Goyal to any conspiracy or wrongdoing, and therefore, no action has been taken against him.

Earlier this year, in January, a local court sentenced civic volunteer Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment, identifying him as the sole accused in the rape and murder. However, the CBI is currently investigating whether there was a larger conspiracy behind the crime, especially in light of alleged tampering and manipulation of evidence during the initial police probe.

The victim’s parents remain unconvinced of the CBI’s intentions. They argue that unless the agency conducts a fearless and unbiased investigation, true justice will remain elusive. Their petition raises pressing questions about the CBI’s credibility and operational transparency in one of the state’s most sensitive and high-profile criminal cases.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh