RG Kar case: Recording of witnesses' statements over, final arguments to start from today

Kolkata, Jan 4 (IANS) With the process being completed for recording of statements by witnesses in the case related to the rape and murder of a woman junior doctor of R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata, the final arguments and counter-arguments in the matter are slated to start at a special court in Kolkata from Saturday.

Sources said in this part the arguments and counter-arguments will mainly be between the counsels of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the “sole prime accused” in the crime of rape and murder Sanjay Roy, an erstwhile civic volunteer attached to Kolkata Police.

However, there will be no media access to this session as well since it has been decided from the beginning that the entire trial process in the matter will be in-camera and barring those associated with the case and their counsels, no one else will be allowed to be present within the courtroom.

Sources said that the CBI has already submitted its investigation report in the matter to the special court.

Legal circles feel one of the most dominant factors in the process of argument and counter-arguments will be the latest report of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) which has raised serious questions on the “scene of crime” in the matter.

The body of the victim doctor was recovered from the seminar hall within R.G. Kar premises on the morning of August 9 last year.

Accordingly, first the Kolkata Police and thereafter the CBI carried out the investigation considering the seminar hall as the “scene of crime”.

However, the recently-surfaced CSFL report, a copy of which is available with IANS, has clearly stated there is no scientific evidence of a scuffle within the seminar room.

The CSFL report strengthened the apprehension raised by a section of the medical fraternity in the state that the actual “scene of crime” was someplace else and the body was shifted to the seminar hall to mislead future investigations.

The CSFL also clearly stated that the confidentiality factor of the post-mortem process was totally compromised and standard protocols were not followed.

At the same time while not ruling out the possibility of the involvement of just one accused in the crime, the CSFL report advocated for further research based on different past scientific reports by experts in similar cases which can lead to the final conclusion on whether more than one person was involved in the crime.