RG Kar case: CBI claims 'Tala Police Station created some false records'

The federal probe agency, directed by the Calcutta High Court to investigate the brutal rape and murder of a junior doctor on August 9, claimed to possess CCTV footage from the Tala Police Station and that this has been sent to a central forensics lab in the city for examination.

The Kolkata Police is yet to respond.

The significant revelation was made after the CBI interrogated Abhijit Mondal, the officer-in-charge of the Tala Police Station at the time. Mondal was arrested on charges of tampering with evidence, while Dr Sandip Ghosh, the hospital's former chief, was held over financial irregularities.  Both are in CBI custody.

Prime suspect Sanjay Roy - a civic volunteer with the cops, who was seen on CCTV footage entering the room in which the body was found, hours before it was - has also been arrested.

On Wednesday the agency had produced Mondal and Ghosh before the court following completion of their remand. The court subsequently sent them to judicial custody till September 30.

The CBI even told the court last week that it suspects a 'nexus' between Mondal and Ghosh referring to the phone calls between them. Mondal's lawyer pointed out that given a serious crime was reported from the hospital, it was normal for the two to speak multiple times.

On Thursday too, the defence pointed out that the CBI had not provided evidence to back its claims.

Apart from identifying those guilty of the killing of the 31-year-old junior doctor, the CBI is also investigating reports of destruction of evidence in connection with the rape and murder.

Mondal, the CBI has said, is not accused of the rape or murder, but may have played a role in the cover-up that followed.

The Bengal government and police force are facing severe flak over the handling of the case and allegations of trying to protect those guilty.

The CBI is also probing a "criminal conspiracy" between Mondal, Ghosh, and accused Sanjoy Roy, citing the "unnecessary delay of two days" in the seizure of the clothes the latter wore on the day.

This, the agency told the court, could have led to contamination of material evidence.

Among the points of order flagged by the High Court and Supreme Court (which took suo moto cognisance) is that there was a 14-hour delay between finding the body and filing a police case.

Both courts have demanded to know why the hospital administration, then led by Sandip Ghosh, did not act immediately, which would, in turn, have ensured the police filed an FIR.

On Sunday, the CBI also questioned another doctor - Birupaksha Biswas, who was allegedly close to Ghosh - in connection with the rape and murder.

Biswas was reportedly part of the 'North Bengal lobby', which medics in the state say have threatened medical students in the past.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, junior doctors partially resumed duties after calling off their strike after 40 days to protest the killing of their colleague. They rejoined work for essential and emergency services only.

They have been protesting since August 9 - which has included three failed attempts at talks with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee - for justice for their colleague and the removal of three officials, including the Health Secretary, alleging their involvement in the case.