Kolkata doctors demanded rape victim's autopsy at RG Kar Hospital: Sources

The postmortem of the junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College was conducted at the request of junior doctors and the victim's father, claimed a source.

In Short

• CBI finds document challenging junior doctors' claims on autopsy integrity
• Document shows postmortem was requested by victim's father, junior doctors
• Postmortem was supervised, videotaped, and included a judicial magistrate

In a recent development in the rape and murder case of a trainee doctor from RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, sources close to Kolkata Police have revealed that the victim’s postmortem was conducted at the request of junior doctors and the victim's father, who demanded it be performed at her own college.

The CBI is currently investigating the case and as the investigation unfolded, concerns about potential discrepancies in the postmortem procedure have been raised by various sections of society.

Some junior doctors questioned why the postmortem was conducted at RG Kar Medical College itself, instead of another institution, as required to ensure impartiality. Allegations have surfaced that the postmortem was carried out at the victim’s own college under the influence of former Principal Sandip Ghosh to suppress evidence.

However, sources claimed that the CBI has obtained a document that challenged this claim. The document revealed that five demands were made by the junior doctors and the victim’s father prior to the postmortem. The demands, submitted in writing to the then-principal on August 9, included a request that the postmortem be conducted at RG Kar Medical College under the supervision of a judicial magistrate.

Other demands included video documentation of the procedure, the presence of a properly qualified autopsy team with at least two female surgeons, and the inclusion of a judicial inquiry team. The letter also asked for four female postgraduate trainees to be present during the autopsy.

This document was signed by the victim’s father and two doctors from the college and was forwarded to the DCP North through the RG Kar Hospital police outpost.

A senior Kolkata Police official confirmed that the autopsy was carried out according to the demands of the protesting doctors, with the procedure videotaped and supervised by a judicial magistrate. He expressed surprise that some are now questioning the integrity of the postmortem process.

Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh commented on the development, urging the protesting doctors to clarify the authenticity of the document and explain why a narrative of suppression and deceit was being promoted if the demands were indeed met.

The TMC leader told India Today, "One of the documents has come into the light. The protesting junior doctors should speak out whether this is genuine document. If this is genuine then they should be answerable on why a narrative was trying to be made that there was hide and seek and attempt to suppress evidence during the postmortem?"

Dr Aniket Mahato, one of the leading protesters, declined to provide a detailed explanation to India Today when contacted, stating that the matter could not be fully explained over the phone.