Kolkata doctor rape case: Police summon BJP’s Locket Chatterjee for disclosing victim’s identity

Kolkata doctor rape case: The Kolkata Police on Sunday summoned two doctors and a BJP leader for allegedly disseminating misinformation and disclosing the identity of the trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

As reported by India Today, Dr Kunal Sarkar, Dr Subarna Goswami, BJP leader, and former MP Locket Chatterjee have been required to appear at the police headquarters at Lalbazar by 3 pm today.

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In addition to the doctors, BJP leader Locket Chatterjee has been summoned for allegedly revealing the identity of the rape victim, which is a serious offence under Indian law.

According to the report, the police alleged that Dr Kunal Sarkar and Dr Subarna Goswami spread false information concerning the investigation and post-mortem report of the case. Dr Subarna Goswami reportedly gave interviews to media outlets claiming to have access to the post-mortem report, which allegedly included disturbing details such as the presence of 150 mg of semen and a fractured pelvic bone, suggesting gang rape.

Meanwhile, the West Bengal government has announced a series of measures to enhance women's safety in workplaces, especially at state-run hospitals where night shifts are common. These measures include establishing designated retiring rooms and CCTV-monitored ‘safe zones.’

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Chief Advisor to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Alapan Bandyopadhyay, outlined these initiatives during a press conference on Saturday, as protests by doctors continue across the state in response to the alleged rape and murder of a medic at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

“Apart from hospitals and medical colleges, hostels and other places engaging women during night shifts will now come under the ambit of a flagship programme, ‘Rattirer Sathi – Helpers of the Night’, comprising volunteers,” he said.

Moreover, the Kolkata Police have imposed Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (formerly Section 144 of the CrPC), around the Medical College and Hospital for seven days, effective from Sunday, 18 August.

In an order released on Saturday by the Commissioner of Police, Vineet Kumar Goyal, it was stated that rallies, meetings, processions, dharnas, demonstrations, and the unlawful assembly of five or more persons are prohibited in the specified area of Kolkata.

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"...In exercise of the power conferred by Sub-Section (1) of Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, read with Sub-Section (3) of the said Section, I, Vineet Kumar Goyal, Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, being an Executive Magistrate for the Metropolitan area of Kolkata as well as the district of South 24 Parganas (within the limits of the suburbs of Kolkata falling under Kolkata police jurisdiction), do hereby prohibit, for a period of seven (7) days from 18.08.2024 to 24.08.2024, or until further notice, any unlawful assembly of five (5) or more persons, carrying of lathis, any lethal or other dangerous weapons, or the commission of any act likely to cause a breach of peace and disturbance of public tranquillity within the specified area in the town of Kolkata," the order stated.

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On August 9, a postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, sparking nationwide strikes and protests by the medical community.

On Wednesday, the protest site and hospital campus at RG Kar were vandalized by a mob, prompting security personnel to intervene and disperse the crowd.

(With inputs from agencies)