Kolkata, 06 July (H.S.): The West Bengal government has extended the suspension of three Indian Police Service (IPS) officers Vineet Goyal, Indira Mukhopadhyay and Abhishek Gupta by another 120 days as the departmental inquiry into their alleged dereliction of duty in connection with the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape and murder case continues.

Following the change of government in the state, the BJP-led administration reopened the files related to the high profile case. At the time of the incident, Vineet Goyal was the Commissioner of Kolkata Police, while Abhishek Gupta served as Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) and Indira Mukhopadhyay was Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central). The government had earlier placed all three officers under suspension and initiated departmental proceedings against them. Their suspension has now been extended for an additional 120 days.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), constituted following court directions, is probing the case. As part of the investigation, the three officers were summoned to the CBI office last month, where their statements were recorded.

The case pertains to the alleged rape and murder of a woman doctor on duty at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in August 2024. The initial investigation was conducted by Kolkata Police, which arrested the accused. However, the police investigation later came under intense scrutiny, with allegations of procedural lapses, disclosure of the victim's identity, dissemination of misleading information, and failure to act against an alleged illegal network operating within the hospital.

Amid the controversy, the then Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee removed Vineet Goyal from the post of Kolkata Police Commissioner, although he was subsequently assigned another administrative responsibility. During the course of the investigation, Indira Mukhopadhyay and Abhishek Gupta had also represented the police in several press briefings. Investigating agencies are now examining the roles of all three officers and the allegations of negligence in detail.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh