• By Kamal Kumar
  • Sat, 07 Sep 2024 12:00 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND

RG Kar Case:  A Kolkata court lashed out at a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation officer, who is heading the Kolkata rape and murder probe for his absence, and the agency's lawyer for a 40 minutes delay in arrival at the courtroom, chiding whether it should grant bail to the main accused. The court further pulled up the agency, saying that the incident portrayed a "lethargic attitude" on its part.

The court developments also drew a sharp reaction from the Trinamool Congress, which is facing flak for its handling of the crime, and accused the BJP and the central agency of trying to "sabotage justice". Notably, CBI took over the probe from Kolkata Police into the heinous crime on the High Court's directions.

A magistrate court in Sealdah made the remarks on Friday afternoon while hearing the bail petition of Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer who has been arrested for raping and murdering an undergraduate trainee doctor at the government-run RG Kar Medical Collage and Hospital. The presiding judicial officer said that the CBI's IO was not present for the hearing.

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While Sanjoy Roy's counsel made an argument for bail to her client, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Pamela Gupta was informed about the late arrival of the public prosecutor. While she continued waiting for the lawyer's arrival, the magistrate remarked: "Should I grant bail to Sanjay Roy? This reflects a severely lethargic attitude on the part of the CBI. It is very unfortunate."

After a wait for about 40 minutes, when the public prosecutor arrived at the court, the defence raised the issue in the court. After arguments, the court sent Sanjoy Roy to judicial custody for 14 days.

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The incident provided TMC with much-needed political ammunition as it went on to react sharply to the incident.

"The court got angry, waited, and yet no one came. We want to ask what happened. Why is the opposition not reacting to this? It has been over 24 days and over 570 hours since the CBI took over the investigation, what has been the result? The entire country is asking. This shows that the CBI is not taking the case seriously..." Trinamool Congress leader Chandrima Bhattacharya said.