Fresh FIR filed into hurried cremation of R.G. Kar victim after CM's intervention
Barrackpore City Police has registered a First Information Report (FIR) in connection with the hurried cremation of the doctor who was sexually assaulted and murdered at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata two years ago. The FIR was filed three days after West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari directed the police to examine why the victim's body was cremated without the family's consent.
Speaking at a gathering on August 9 to mark the second death anniversary of the doctor, Mr. Adhikari stated that the cremation at the burning ghat was initially scheduled to be the third of the day, but was subsequently moved to the first position. This, he said, led to the body being cremated in haste. The victim's parents, including her mother Ratna Debnath, who is now a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Panihati, were present at the event.
The victim's father later filed a written complaint with the Barrackpore Police Commissionerate on Monday, August 10. Based on that complaint, an FIR was registered at the Khardah police station late that night. The new case includes allegations of criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence, among other serious charges.
The police will investigate the circumstances surrounding the cremation at the Natagarh Kadamtala crematorium under the Ghola police station. Specifically, the probe will examine the role of former Panihati Trinamool Congress MLA and former chief whip of the West Bengal Assembly, Nirmal Ghosh; former municipal chairman Somnath Dey; and neighbour Sanjib Mukherjee. Mr. Ghosh was a key Trinamool Congress leader, and his son, Tirthankar Ghosh, contested on a Trinamool Congress ticket against Ms. Debnath in the recently concluded Assembly polls but lost. In an unrelated incident, Tirthankar Ghosh was arrested in July 2026 for extortion and criminal intimidation.
The fresh police probe will run separately from the investigation being conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the original case of rape and murder. The Calcutta High Court had handed over the investigation to the CBI. The central agency has filed a charge sheet against a former civil police volunteer for sexual assault and murder. The CBI is also probing financial irregularities at the hospital. After the change of regime in West Bengal, the CBI has intensified its investigation in the case.
This new development comes amid continuing public scrutiny of the handling of the case. The victim's family has repeatedly sought answers about the manner in which the body was cremated, alleging that it was done against their wishes. The fresh FIR is seen as a step toward addressing those concerns.
Authorities have assured that the investigation will be thorough and independent. The police have not yet commented on the specific allegations or the timeline for the inquiry. Legal experts note that allegations of criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence are serious and will require careful examination of the events surrounding the cremation.
The case has drawn widespread attention, with political leaders and civil society groups demanding justice for the victim. The Chief Minister's intervention and the subsequent FIR indicate a renewed focus on the procedural irregularities reported at the time. However, the investigation is expected to take time, and the outcome will be closely watched.
