’Blatant lie’: TMC rebuts ‘bribery’ charge in Kolkata doctor murder case with parents’ video

Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal refuted claims suggesting that Kolkata Police tried to bribe the trainee doctor's family. The postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9.

Here are the top 10 updates:

• TMC alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other opposition parties were politicising the issue.
• Hitting out at the BJP, TMC leader and minister Shashi Panja, on Thursday, launched a scathing attack on the BJP and accused it of using the tragedy for political gain instead of seeking justice, reported Hindustan Times.

• During a press conference, the Trinamool Congress released a video denying claims that Kolkata Police tried to ‘hush up’ the matter and attempted to bribe the family.

 TMC released the video, which was reportedly shot last month, which showed the trainee doctor's father declaring that all rumours of a bribe being offered to them were unfounded.

• The recent remarks of the father of the deceased doctor are in stark contrast to the comments he made earlier. He had said that bribery allegations against Kolkata Police are a ‘blatant lie.’ 
• “We have not said anything about attempts being made to bribe us by police officials. This is a blatant lie. I urge everyone not to spread such rumours and instead ensure that our daughter gets justice,” Hindustan Times quoted the victim's father as saying in the video clip.
• This video comes in response to the allegations of bribery and negligence levelled by the family members of the deceased doctor against a senior police official and Kolkata Police in general.
• The victim's aunt said, “When the body of the daughter was lying in front of the parents in the house, and we were shedding tears, the police were offering money; is this the humanity of police?” reported ANI.

• On Wednesday, the victim's parents joined the protest demanding justice for their daughter and accused the police of attempting to “hush up the case.” TMC released the video countering claims a day after the father alleged that a senior police official offered them money while handing over their daughter's body.
• The father of the deceased trainee doctor mentioned that they were not allowed to see their daughter's body before it was taken for post-mortem examination. Adding, he said that the bribe was part of a larger scheme by the Kolkata Police to cover up the case.

The TMC also accused the media and the BJP of spreading these lies to politicise the issue further. 

Targeting the BJP, Shashi Panja alleged that the party's IT cell was behind the circulation of such “fake videos” online. She further asserted that vested interests should not drag the victim's family into political matters as they only wanted justice.