West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday, 15 May announced the suspension of three Indian Police Service (IPS) officers — including a former Commissioner of Kolkata Police — over their handling of the RG Kar Medical College & Hospital rape and murder case, in which a junior woman doctor was killed within the hospital premises in August 2024. Adhikari, who also holds charge of the state home department, said departmental probes will be initiated against all three officers simultaneously.

Officers Suspended

The three officers placed under suspension are: Vineet Kumar Goyal, the then Commissioner of Kolkata Police; Abhishek Gupta, the then Deputy Commissioner of Police (North Division); and Indira Mukherjee, the then Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Division). At the time of suspension, Goyal was serving as Director General (Intelligence Branch) of State Police, Gupta as Commandant of Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) in the rank of Deputy Inspector General, and Mukherjee as Special Superintendent of the Criminal Investigation Department.

What the Chief Minister Said

'After taking charge as the Chief Minister, also incharge of the state home department, I asked the Chief Secretary and the State Home Secretary to submit a detailed and written report in the RG Kar matter and also on developments after the incident,' Adhikari said. He stated the primary complaints against the officers included mishandling of the investigation and failure to file an FIR in a timely manner. He also alleged that there was 'an indirect attempt to bribe the victim's family,' claiming, based on media reports, that the victim's mother was offered money on behalf of the state government — an allegation that has not been independently verified.

Adhikari further said that Mukherjee had addressed press conferences in the matter without any written authorisation, and that her 'body language and words at press conferences were not acceptable.' He indicated that WhatsApp chats, cost lists, and communications between officials at the time — including those involving former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee — will be examined as part of the probe.

Role of Former CM Mamata Banerjee Under Review

Adhikari confirmed that the role of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the case will also be reviewed. This marks a significant political escalation, as Banerjee had, under public pressure, transferred Goyal and Gupta following the protests but retained Mukherjee in her post. Critics had at the time accused the then administration of shielding officials responsible for the investigation's mishandling.

Background: The RG Kar Case

The body of the junior woman doctor was recovered from within the RG Kar Medical College & Hospital premises on the morning of 9 August 2024. The victim's mother, Ratna Debnath, is currently a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator from the Panihati Assembly constituency in North 24 Parganas district. The case triggered massive protests across West Bengal, drawing participation from the medical community, civil society, celebrities, and ordinary citizens. The demonstrations subsequently spread to other Indian states and internationally, making it one of the most widely followed criminal cases in recent Indian history.

CBI Probe to Continue Unaffected

Adhikari clarified that the ongoing Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the case will proceed independently and that the parallel state government departmental investigation will not interfere with the central agency's inquiry. The state action is administrative in nature and does not replace the criminal proceedings already underway.

With departmental probes now formally ordered and the former chief minister's role under scrutiny, the RG Kar case is set to remain at the centre of West Bengal's political and judicial discourse in the weeks ahead.