West Bengal Minister for Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Agnimitra Paul on Saturday, 29 August demanded custodial interrogation of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in connection with alleged conspiracies surrounding the rape and murder of a junior doctor at state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata in August 2024. Paul's remarks came on a day of compounding legal pressure on the former Chief Minister, as Kolkata Police also registered a suo motu FIR against Banerjee at Hastings Police Station in South Kolkata.

What the Minister Alleged

Paul, speaking to reporters after an administrative review meeting at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation headquarters on Saturday afternoon, alleged that Banerjee was centrally involved in attempts to cover up the circumstances of the junior doctor's death. 'One of the major wrongdoings committed by the previous Chief Minister was the attempt to cover up the death of the junior lady doctor at R.G. Kar,' Paul alleged.

She further alleged that Banerjee had directed the erstwhile Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal to arrange the autopsy of the victim's body after 6 p.m., facilitated a hurried cremation, and ensured the crime scene was not properly secured — all allegations that Banerjee has not publicly responded to as of this report.

The Nirmal Ghosh Precedent

Paul invoked the arrest of Nirmal Ghosh, former Chief Whip of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the West Bengal Assembly, in connection with the same case. 'If the former Chief Whip of the Trinamool Congress in the West Bengal Assembly, Nirmal Ghosh, was arrested in that incident, why won't Mamata Banerjee be arrested? She was involved in the entire controversy,' Paul alleged. Ghosh's arrest had earlier signalled that investigators were looking beyond direct perpetrators at institutional accountability.

The Hastings Police Station FIR

The suo motu FIR registered at Hastings Police Station relates to an alleged violation of a Calcutta High Court order during the foundation day rally of TMC's student wing, Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP), held on Friday. The court had reportedly ordered that traffic movement must not be disrupted on account of the rally. Paul alleged that Banerjee's supporters flouted this directive. 'The clear order of the Calcutta High Court was that traffic movement should not be halted because of Friday's TMCP rally. But the supporters of the former Chief Minister did exactly that. Such blatant disregard towards law cannot be tolerated,' she said.

Background and Broader Context

The R.G. Kar Medical College case has remained one of the most politically charged criminal investigations in West Bengal in recent years. The rape and murder of the junior doctor in August 2024 triggered mass protests across the state and drew national attention, with demonstrators demanding accountability at multiple levels — from the alleged perpetrator to the hospital administration and the state government. The case has since become a focal point for the political opposition, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), to which Paul belongs, in its campaign against Banerjee's administration.

Notably, this is not the first time demands for Banerjee's custodial questioning in the case have been raised by BJP leaders. What is new is the simultaneous registration of a separate FIR, which critics argue adds legal weight to the political pressure being applied.

What Comes Next

It remains to be seen whether investigating agencies will act on Paul's demand for custodial interrogation, or whether the Hastings FIR will proceed to a formal investigation. Legal observers note that a suo motu FIR by police, particularly one linked to a High Court order, carries procedural significance. The Calcutta High Court's response to any potential contempt proceedings, and the Central Bureau of Investigation's ongoing work in the R.G. Kar case, will be closely watched in the days ahead.