A Sealdah court expressed its frustration on Friday after both the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) investigating officer and lawyer failed to appear promptly at a bail hearing for Sanjay Roy, the prime suspect in the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
The court proceedings saw a significant delay when a CBI lawyer arrived 50 minutes late. The lawyer opposed Roy’s bail plea, arguing that granting bail could hinder the ongoing investigation, according to The Times of India.
Court Highlights Urgency
According to The Indian Express, the court emphasized the seriousness of the case, urging the CBI to act with greater urgency. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Pamela Gupta expressed her dissatisfaction with the lack of prompt action, remarking, “Should I grant bail to Sanjay Roy?”
Gupta criticized the CBI for its “very lethargic approach” and called the situation “highly unfortunate.”
Details of the Hearing
The Times of India reported that the hearing regarding Sanjay Roy’s bail application was delayed by 50 minutes due to the late arrival of the CBI lawyer. When informed of the delay, Magistrate Gupta initially stated that if the lawyer did not appear, bail should be granted.
At 4:20 pm, as the delay stretched on, the magistrate instructed a CBI officer to contact the lawyer. The officer left the courtroom to make the call and returned 15 minutes later, informing the court that the lawyer was on his way. The lawyer, Dipak Poria, finally arrived at 5:00 pm and opposed the bail without providing specific reasons.
Ultimately, the court rejected Roy’s bail plea and ordered him to remain in judicial custody until September 20 under the supervision of the CBI. Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer with Kolkata Police, was arrested on August 10.
TMC Criticizes CBI’s Handling
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saket Gokhale slammed the CBI’s handling of the case, accusing the agency of attempting to secure bail for the accused. Gokhale alleged that the CBI, BJP, and the Modi government were working together to bury the case for political reasons. He expressed disbelief at the agency’s absence in court, questioning the motives behind their actions.
Supreme Court to Review Case
The Supreme Court is set to resume its hearing on the case on September 9. A bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud will examine the rape and murder case, which has drawn significant public attention. The trainee doctor’s body, which bore severe injury marks, was discovered on August 9 in the hospital’s seminar hall. The case was initially handled by Kolkata Police before being transferred to the CBI by the Calcutta High Court on August 13.
The upcoming Supreme Court hearing follows allegations from the Centre regarding a lack of cooperation from the West Bengal government in providing logistical support for the CISF, which is responsible for hospital security.