Former MLA of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) from Panihati, Nirmal Ghosh, has been arrested on Thursday in connection with a fresh FIR concerning the alleged hurried cremation of the female doctor who was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The striking development came after the victim doctor’s family levelled allegations of irregularities and discrepancies in the handling and cremation of her body. 

The fresh probe is now centred on the circumstances surrounding the final rites and whether due procedures were followed. 

Notably, the victim’s parents had earlier alleged that the body was cremated in haste and that attempts were made to prevent a second post-mortem examination. 

Newly-filed FIR opens new line of investigation

After the victim’s cremation process drew renewed focus, the victim’s kin approached the authorities with allegations against Ghosh and other people, including TMC leader and former Panihati Municipal chairperson Somnath Dey and local political figure Sanjib Mukherjee. 

Subsequently, a fresh FIR was filed, paving the way for a separate probe into the circumstances under which the victim’s body was cremated. 

However, the allegations are not entirely new. The victim’s parents had earlier sought the arrest and custodial interrogation of Ghosh and two other local figures, accusing them of playing a key role in facilitating the hurried cremation of their daughter’s body. 

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has been probing the incident, had also interrogated Ghosh earlier about the circumstances surrounding the cremation. The CBI sleuths have been persevering in efforts to piece together the sequence of events from the night of the crime through to the victim’s final rites. 

Case sparked outrage across the nation

The horrendous incident dates back to August 9, 2024, when the body of a post-graduate trainee doctor was discovered in a seminar room at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The doctor’s alleged rape-murder sparked massive protests across West Bengal and India, and doctors as well as citizens voiced demands for justice. 

The probe was transferred to the CBI after the Calcutta High Court (HC) issued directives. Civic volunteer Sajay Roy was arrested in connection with the crime and was later convicted. The court sentenced him to life imprisonment. The institute’s former principal, Sandip Ghosh and a police officer were also arrested during the investigation over allegations associated with the handling of the case, including suspected evidence tampering and delays in registering the FIR.