The father of the postgraduate doctor, who was raped and murdered at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in August 2024, is expressing increasing frustration with the ongoing investigation, alleging delays in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chargesheet and significant administrative lapses. The victim's father arrived in Delhi seeking a meeting with the CBI director, a year after the crime, stating, "We have come to Delhi with hope. It has been a year now, and we have been roaming around for justice".
The father voiced concerns that key evidence has been destroyed and that individuals involved in a cover-up are being protected. He estimates that "at least 30 to 40 people are involved in this," including someone he witnessed destroying evidence, but claims the CBI is ignoring this. He asserted, "Whatever CBI should have done, it is not doing. We want justice".
The case, initially misrepresented as a suicide by hospital authorities, took a turn when civic volunteer Sanjay Roy was arrested, with DNA evidence confirming a violent struggle. Roy was convicted of rape and murder in January 2025 and sentenced to life imprisonment. However, the victim's family believes more individuals were involved and approached the Calcutta High Court seeking further investigation.
The father has also alleged procedural lapses during the investigation. He stated that the CBI has not filed any supplementary chargesheet since the initial one in October 2024 and that the agency ceased communication with the family after November 2024. "The last time we spoke, they simply asked us to remain patient," he said. He also reports that multiple requests to meet with the Prime Minister, Home Minister, and President have gone unanswered.
Adding to the family's distress, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College, Sandip Ghosh, and former officer-in-charge of the Tala police station, Abhijit Mondal, who were arrested in connection with the case, were granted bail in December 2024 after the CBI failed to submit a chargesheet against them within the 90-day period. They had been accused of tampering with evidence and facilitating the hasty cremation of the victim's body. The arrested police officer was also accused of delaying the filing of the FIR.
The incident sparked widespread protests and a prolonged doctors' strike in West Bengal in 2024, prompting the Supreme Court to question procedural lapses, delayed FIR registration, and the treatment of the victim's family. Thousands rallied across more than 130 cities in 25 countries to demand justice for the trainee doctor.
The parents have expressed dissatisfaction with the CBI's handling of the probe, stating, "We are unhappy with how the CBI has probed the case. We do not think their investigation was fair or accurate...We will not rest till the larger conspiracy behind our daughter's death is brought to light". They have changed their legal counsel and are now represented by senior advocate Phiroze Edulji. The CBI informed the Calcutta High Court in March 2025 that its investigation, supported by medical experts, indicated the incident was not a gang rape. The victim's father has declared a loss of faith in both the police and the CBI, suggesting the CBI appears "compromised, either politically or otherwise". He maintains that their "only hope is in the judiciary now".
