RG Kar case: Bengal Health Dept to run parallel probe a year after murder
Synopsis
A year after the R.G. Kar rape and murder case convulsed India, West Bengal's Health Department is launching its own parallel investigation — even as a fresh CBI team struggles under judicial scrutiny. With the Calcutta High Court already rebuking the new probe for mirroring the old one's flaws, the announcement of yet another inquiry raises as many questions as it answers about the road to justice.
Key Takeaways
West Bengal Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee announced a separate departmental probe into the R.G.
Kar rape and murder case on 8 August 2025 .
The Health Department will question people who visited the alleged crime scene — a seminar room — before and after the incident on 8 August 2024 , as well as the victim's professors.
All findings will be shared with the CBI , which is running its own parallel investigation.
Sole convict Sanjay Roy , a civic volunteer, has already been sentenced to life imprisonment .
A Calcutta High Court division bench this week criticised the fresh CBI probe for being overly influenced by the discredited earlier team's approach.
The victim's parents had demanded a full fresh investigation after alleging the original CBI team conducted a lackadaisical inquiry.
The West Bengal Health Department will conduct a separate, independent investigation into the R.G. Kar Medical College rape and murder case of August 2024, even as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) continues its own parallel inquiry. State Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee, himself a practising medical professional, made the announcement on Saturday, 8 August 2025, one year after the incident shook the country.
Scope of the Health Department Probe
According to Mukherjee, department officials will question individuals who visited the alleged scene of crime — reportedly a seminar room within the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital campus — both before and after the incident on the late night of 8 August 2024. Professors who taught the deceased junior doctor will also be questioned.
'Health Department officials will investigate the incident. Whatever comes out after the investigation will be reported to the central agency. Officials will also listen to the victim's teachers. The probe will look into gaps in the hospital's infrastructure and how those gaps were filled later,' Mukherjee said.
The department has committed to sharing all findings with the CBI, positioning the parallel inquiry as a supplementary rather than competing exercise.
A Troubled Investigation Trail
Kolkata Police initially investigated the case and arrested the sole suspect, Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer, who was subsequently convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. The Calcutta High Court later ordered the CBI to take over the investigation.
However, the victim's parents alleged that the original CBI team conducted a lackadaisical probe and approached the High Court seeking a fresh investigation from scratch by a special CBI team. A new CBI team recently commenced a fresh inquiry following a fresh court order.
High Court Expresses Concern
This week, a division bench comprising Justice Shampa Sarkar and Justice Tirthankar Ghosh of the Calcutta High Court expressed displeasure over the pace and direction of the renewed investigation. The bench observed that the fresh probe appeared to be 'overly influenced' by the manner in which the earlier team had conducted it — a pointed rebuke that signals judicial impatience with the pace of justice.
What the Case Involves
The body of the young junior doctor was discovered inside a seminar hall on the R.G. Kar Medical College campus on 9 August 2024. Investigators concluded she had been raped and murdered the previous night while she was on duty. The case triggered widespread protests across West Bengal and other parts of India, with demonstrations demanding systemic reforms to ensure the safety of medical professionals, particularly women, in hospital settings.
What Happens Next
With the Health Department probe now formally announced, investigators will examine institutional gaps — including infrastructure failures and how they were subsequently addressed — that may have enabled or concealed the crime. The dual-track investigation raises questions about coordination between state and central agencies, and whether parallel findings will converge or complicate the path to a comprehensive legal reckoning. The Calcutta High Court continues to monitor proceedings closely.
Point of View
When, and how quickly the hospital moved to cover its tracks. With the Calcutta High Court already expressing frustration that the fresh CBI team is shadowing the old team's methodology, the risk is that multiple overlapping investigations generate noise rather than clarity. The victim's parents, who drove every procedural escalation so far, deserve a single authoritative account — not a patchwork of departmental reports and agency findings that can be played off against each other.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the West Bengal Health Department's new probe into the RG Kar case?
The West Bengal Health Department has announced an independent investigation into the R.G. Kar Medical College rape and murder case, separate from the ongoing CBI inquiry. The probe will question people who visited the alleged crime scene and the victim's professors, and will share findings with the CBI.
Who was convicted in the RG Kar rape and murder case?
Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer, was arrested by Kolkata Police, subsequently tried, and convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. The CBI took over the investigation from Kolkata Police following a Calcutta High Court order.
Why is there a fresh CBI probe into the RG Kar case?
The victim's parents alleged that the original CBI team conducted a lackadaisical investigation and approached the Calcutta High Court for a full fresh inquiry by a special CBI team. A new CBI team began a fresh probe following a court order, though the High Court has since expressed concern that the new team is too influenced by the old team's approach.
What did the Calcutta High Court say about the RG Kar investigation?
A division bench of Justice Shampa Sarkar and Justice Tirthankar Ghosh this week expressed displeasure over the fresh CBI probe, observing that it was being overly influenced by the manner in which the earlier, discredited team had conducted its investigation.
What will the Health Department specifically investigate?
According to Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee, the department will examine who entered the alleged crime scene — reportedly a seminar room at R.G. Kar Medical College — before and after the incident, question the victim's professors, and probe gaps in the hospital's infrastructure and how those gaps were addressed after the crime.
