Calcutta HC gives CBI 3 weeks to wrap RG Kar rape-murder fresh probe
Synopsis
The Calcutta High Court has trimmed the CBI's own timeline — granting three weeks instead of the four sought — to wrap its fresh investigation into the RG Kar rape-murder. With only 16 of 54 family-flagged aspects investigated so far, the court's impatience signals that the agency's pace is under scrutiny, not just its findings.
Key Takeaways
The Calcutta High Court on 28 August 2025 gave the CBI three weeks to complete its fresh probe in the RG Kar rape-murder case .
The bench of Justice Shampa Sarkar and Justice Tirthankar Ghosh rejected the CBI's request for four weeks .
The CBI has investigated 16 of 54 aspects raised by the victim's family, according to sources.
Investigators questioned a delivery boy and four doctors who were present with the victim on the night of 8 August 2024 .
Sanjay Roy , the sole convict, is serving a life sentence ; the family had alleged the CBI's earlier probe merely endorsed Kolkata Police's work.
The next court hearing is fixed for 24 September .
The Calcutta High Court on Friday, 28 August 2025, set a three-week deadline for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to complete its fresh probe into the rape and murder of a woman junior doctor at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, a case that shook the country in August 2024. The order came after the CBI submitted a progress report during a closed-door hearing before the court.
Key Developments in Court
A division bench comprising Justice Shampa Sarkar and Justice Tirthankar Ghosh reviewed the CBI's progress report in a closed-door session. According to sources aware of the proceedings, the bench directed the agency to conclude its fresh investigation within three weeks, rejecting the CBI counsel's request for a four-week extension. The next hearing has been scheduled for 24 September.
What the CBI Told the Court
Sources said the CBI informed the bench that it had investigated 16 of the 54 aspects flagged by the victim's family in an earlier plea. Among the leads pursued in the fresh phase: investigators questioned a delivery boy who had brought dinner to the Emergency Department of RG Kar on the night of 8 August 2024 — the night the crime occurred. The four doctors who had eaten with the victim that night were also questioned, sources added.
Background: Why a Fresh Probe Was Ordered
The Kolkata Police initially investigated the case before the matter was transferred to the CBI following court intervention. Sanjay Roy, a former civic volunteer attached to Kolkata Police, was convicted and is currently serving a life sentence as the sole convict. However, the victim's family subsequently alleged that the CBI's initial investigation was perfunctory — amounting, in their words, to merely ratifying the Kolkata Police's findings. Acting on those concerns, the Calcutta High Court ordered the CBI to constitute a new probe team and restart the investigation from scratch.
What Happens Next
With the court granting only three weeks — shorter than the agency sought — the CBI is under pressure to demonstrate substantive progress before the 24 September hearing. The family's plea covering 54 specific investigative aspects remains a benchmark against which the court is likely to assess the CBI's work. Observers note that the case continues to carry significant public and political weight, making the pace and credibility of the investigation a closely watched matter.
Point of View
It risks compounding the original institutional failure with a judicial one.
NationPress
28 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Calcutta High Court order regarding the RG Kar case?
The Calcutta High Court directed the CBI to complete its fresh investigation into the RG Kar rape-murder case within three weeks, rejecting the agency's request for four weeks. The order was passed on 28 August 2025 after the court reviewed a CBI progress report in a closed-door hearing.
Why was a fresh CBI probe ordered in the RG Kar case?
The victim's family alleged that the CBI's initial investigation was superficial and amounted to endorsing the Kolkata Police's findings rather than conducting an independent inquiry. The Calcutta High Court accepted these concerns and directed the CBI to form a new team and restart the probe.
Who is the convicted person in the RG Kar rape-murder case?
Sanjay Roy, a former civic volunteer attached to Kolkata Police, is the sole convict in the case and is currently serving a life sentence. The victim's family has sought investigation into additional aspects beyond what led to his conviction.
How many aspects of the case has the CBI investigated so far?
According to sources aware of the closed-door proceedings, the CBI has investigated 16 of the 54 aspects flagged by the victim's family in an earlier plea. The court's three-week deadline applies to completing this fresh phase of the investigation.
When is the next hearing in the RG Kar case?
The Calcutta High Court has fixed the next hearing in the matter for 24 September 2025, by which time the CBI is expected to have concluded its fresh investigation.
