Amidst growing allegations of evidence tampering in the Kolkata rape and murder case at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has raised concerns about the identities of two individuals seen inside the cordoned-off crime scene area.
The controversy erupted after Kolkata police asserted that all individuals present in the restricted area were officially linked to the investigation. However, the Bengal state branch of the IMA issued a statement questioning the authenticity of these claims.
According to the IMA, one individual identified by the Kolkata police as a fingerprint expert is actually a first-year postgraduate trainee doctor from Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial (SSKM) Hospital. The IMA specifically questioned, “When did Dr. Avik De become a fingerprint expert? He is currently a first-year trainee in the surgery department at SSKM Hospital,” the statement read.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Indira Mukherjee clarified that only police officers, forensic experts, videographers, and fingerprint experts were visible in a video circulating on social media. Despite this, Dr. Avik De’s colleagues have confirmed that he was not present at the crime scene.
Further complicating the situation, questions have emerged regarding another person, seen in a purple shirt near the cordoned area in the video. Avik Ghosh, a member of the IMA, suggested that this individual might be Birupaksha Biswas, who allegedly has connections with Dr. Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Ghosh questioned, “What was he doing there?”
Dr. Biswas, however, denied these claims, asserting that he was at RG Medical Hospital that day but was not in the seminar room or near the crime scene. “These are baseless accusations. My presence in a purple shirt does not warrant such allegations,” Dr. Biswas stated.
The issue of evidence tampering at the crime scene has been a contentious topic since the body was discovered on August 9. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has previously informed the Supreme Court that the crime scene was altered, causing difficulties in their investigation. The state government has refuted these claims.
Earlier this week, a video surfaced showing various individuals, including doctors and security personnel, gathering in the seminar hall where the body was found. Kolkata police had maintained that the area was properly cordoned off and that no one had entered it. Mukherjee reaffirmed that “all individuals seen in the video were outside the cordoned-off area.”
The ongoing debate highlights the complexities surrounding the investigation and the scrutiny over the handling of the crime scene.
