RG Kar case: Eggs hurled at ex-TMC MLA Nirmal Ghosh outside Bengal police station

Similar scenes played out for Mukherjee, who was also targeted with eggs.

Outside the police station, Bharatiya Janata Party workers and supporters staged loud demonstrations, playing DJ music, waving garlands of shoes, and shouting “Chor, chor” (thief) slogans as the accused were being escorted to Barrackpore Sub-Divisional Court.

At the Barrackpore court also, the TMC leader was greeted with slogans by another group of people waiting for him, even as the police rushed the accused to the court lock-up.

2 arrested Thursday; 1 accused absconding

Sanjib Mukherjee, a close associate of Ghosh and a former TMC councillor from Panihati, was the victim’s neighbour. He had allegedly signed the procedural paperwork during the cremation at the Panihati crematorium.

Mukherjee, who was allegedly on the run, was arrested from a house in Chinar Park area of Kolkata late on Thursday, hours after Nirmal’s arrest, police said.

The arrests follow a fresh complaint filed by the victim’s father, alleging a “hurried cremation” of the rape-murder victim. Her father was also present at the Khardah Police station as the accused were being taken to court on Friday.

Meanwhile, another accused, Somnath Dey, also a TMC councillor from the Panihati constituency, could not be traced, the police said.

Agnimitra calls to ‘book Mamata’

State Minister and BJP leader Agnimitra Paul called for the probe to extend to the highest levels of the state administration, alleging a coordinated attempt to cover up evidence immediately after the crime occurred.

“Mamata Banerjee had stated she was in constant communication with party leaders and hospital authorities on her drive back from Jhargram on the day of the crime,” Paul claimed, adding: “She could have instructed them to pause the post-mortem and wait until morning, but instead, everything was done to ensure a cover-up. If leaders like Nirmal Ghosh are arrested, the former CM should also be booked.”

Suvendu praises police chief for probe

Meanwhile, on Thursday, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari commended the Barrackpore police commissioner for arresting the two accused following the complaint.

”On a complaint lodged by her father related to the cremation, Barrackpore police hunted down two accused, and the other absconding accused will be arrested soon,” Adhikari stated, urging the remaining suspect to surrender.

The case and allegations

The shocking rape and murder of the RG Kar hospital postgraduate resident doctor on August 9, 2024, had sparked nationwide protests, including a 42-day strike held by junior doctors of state-run hospitals, demanding a thorough probe into the incident and adequate security on campuses.

A 33-year-old civic volunteer, Sanjoy Roy, was convicted of the rape and murder, and sentenced to imprisonment for life. It was alleged that the body was hurriedly cremated without the family’s permission.

Nirmal Ghosh, the then MLA, was seen at the hospital on the evening of the day of the crime. He had also allegedly held a meeting with the medical college’s then principal Sandip Ghosh, who was later arrested, and then seen accompanying the hearse which transported the body to the crematorium.

The victim’s father alleged that the accused were also present at his house where the body was first brought and exerted pressure on the family to quickly take it to the crematorium despite their unwillingness to do so.

Ghosh’s son Tirthankar was also arrested on July 13 in a separate case of post-poll violence and extortion.