Head of criminals: RG Kar victim's mother slams Mamata Banerjee after cops' suspensions

After three officers were suspended in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital case, Ratna Debnath renewed attacks on Mamata Banerjee as the family sought more arrests and the probe intensified.

In Short

• 3 senior Kolkata police officers suspended over alleged RG Kar probe lapses
• Victim’s family alleges wider conspiracy and cover-up in RG Kar murder
• Family demands more arrests, says crucial evidence and leads ignored

The mother of the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder victim, now BJP MLA Ratna Debnath, launched a blistering attack on former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee after the new state government suspended three senior police officers over alleged mishandling of the case. Debnath, MLA from Panihati, said Banerjee is the "head of criminals" and claimed that if she is jailed, the truth behind the case and the identities of others involved would come out.

Speaking to reporters after the suspensions, Debnath alleged a larger conspiracy behind the crime and the subsequent investigation. "There are many criminals, and the head of them is Mamata Banerjee. If she is caught and jailed, then the names of all the criminals will come out," news agency ANI quoted her as saying.

"The people who had dinner with my daughter that night have not been investigated yet. Only the principal is in jail," she added.

The remarks come a day after West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced disciplinary action against former Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal, former Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Abhishek Gupta and Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Indira Mukherjee over alleged lapses in the investigation into the August 2024 rape and murder at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The state government has also ordered departmental proceedings against the officers.

Ratna Debnath also directly accused the Trinamool Congress president and senior health officials of being responsible for the incident.

"College authorities, including Mamata Banerjee, are responsible for this incident. Also, our then Health Secretary Narayanswaroop Nigam is also involved in the murder of my daughter," she alleged.

Her husband, Sekharranjan Debnath, echoed the accusations, alleging that the case was deliberately covered up from the beginning.

"An IPS officer attempted to cover up this case right from day one. These instructions came directly from former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. That fact has been proven today. She should have taken this step earlier, but she did not," he told ANI.

At the same time, he welcomed the action taken by the present administration.

"However, the new Chief Minister has now taken action. Therefore, I thank him. There are many other people involved; they must all be brought to justice, that is what needs to be done...," he added.

THE 2024 RG KAR RAPE AND MURDER CASE

The case dates back to August 9, 2024, when a junior doctor was found dead inside a seminar hall at the state-run RG KAR Medical College in Kolkata.

Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer, was arrested and later sentenced to life imprisonment.

However, the victim’s family has consistently maintained that Roy was not the only person involved, and that crucial leads were ignored during the probe.

Ratna Debnath, who entered politics after the case and won the Panihati Assembly seat on a BJP ticket, has repeatedly pledged to push for a deeper investigation.

Her latest remarks underscore the continuing political and legal fallout from one of Bengal’s most controversial criminal cases, with the family insisting that the full conspiracy remains concealed, and more arrests are yet to be made.

- Ends
With ANI inputs