The Central Bureau of Investigation, failing to get any satisfactory reply from RG Kar Hospital's former Principal Sandip Ghosh, will now conduct a polygraph test. Four other doctors, who were on duty the night that the 31-year-old doctor was raped and murdered, will take the test along with him. The agency received a nod from a special court for the test today.
The results of a polygraph test, while not admissible in court, is often said to point investigators in the correct direction.
The Central investigation agency has been questioning the former Principal every day for the last one week. But officials say they are yet to get a satisfactory response.
Sandip Ghosh has much to answer for — including the misinformation given to the murdered woman's parents and the delay in filing of a complaint with the police. Both Supreme Court and the Calcutta High Court have repeatedly focussed on his role, levelling multiple questions.
Even today, the top court asked questions about why the case was tagged an unnatural death. A case of unnatural death is usually filed when there is no formal complaint. The court had said it is the duty of the head of the institution in such cases to lodge a formal complaint.
"Why did the Principal not come to file the FIR? Was anyone stopping him? Why was he transferred to another hospital? The court wants to know the reason for all this," Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud asked.
The Kolkata Police have registered a corruption case against the former Principal. Investigation is in progress into the financial irregularities at the state-run RG Kar Medical College, a complaint on which was filed in June.
Earlier today, the CBI had alleged in the Supreme Court that there was an attempt by the local police to cover-up the rape and killing of the post-graduate doctor and that the crime scene was altered by the time they took over. This was vehemently denied by the state.
The rape and killing of the junior doctor in a seminar hall of the hospital has sparked widespread protests.