The horrific rape and murder case surrounding RG Kar Medical College has left West Bengal in a state of unrest for over 40 days, with protests raging across Kolkata. The city's streets are flooded with demonstrators who are fed up with the blatant failures of the Mamata Banerjee government. Many are convinced that the administration is deliberately diverting attention from the real issue, resorting to "whataboutery" to downplay the heinous crime. This "whataboutery" only seeks to distract from the gravity of the situation, making it clear that justice is being thwarted, especially when it involves crimes as serious as rape.

Unfortunately, the RG Kar case is just one among many incidents that demonstrate the alarming rate of systemic failures under Banerjee's leadership. The governance in West Bengal seems to thrive on political patronage, protecting those who are supposed to face punishment. In another gut-wrenching case, the alleged rape of a civil servant’s wife in Kolkata this July only further solidifies this tragic reality. The inefficiency and reluctance of the Kolkata Police in handling such cases seem to know no bounds, especially when a senior officer's spouse falls victim to such brutal crimes.

On September 27, the Calcutta High Court finally took matters into its own hands. In a damning order, the court commanded that the investigation into the rape of the IAS officer’s wife be transferred to a deputy commissioner-level officer, indicating that the case's seriousness had been downplayed by the authorities. The court also revoked the bail that was so conveniently granted to the accused by a lower court and further instructed the Kolkata Police commissioner to take disciplinary action against three negligent officers who showed complete disregard for their duties in this case.

In what can only be described as a blatant miscarriage of justice, the accused had been charged with nothing more than the lesser crime of outraging the modesty of a woman, despite the victim's shocking testimony. As stated in court, the victim revealed that she had been raped twice within a span of seven hours in her own home. Yet, despite the severity of her ordeal, the police registered the case under milder sections of the law, effectively shielding the accused from harsher punishment. To make matters worse, bail was granted to the accused the very next day after his arrest, illustrating the appalling extent of police negligence and the judiciary’s misplaced leniency.

Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj of the Calcutta High Court minced no words in his criticism of how the case was handled. "Despite the gravity of offences, the case was registered under less severe sections," observed the judge, leaving no doubt that the failure to file an FIR with appropriate charges was a deliberate move to protect the guilty. The police's incompetence is staggering, and this systemic rot continues to eat away at the very fabric of justice in West Bengal.

In an attempt to rectify the gross misconduct, the High Court ordered that all investigation documents and the case diary be handed over to the deputy commissioner in charge of the new probe. The court made it clear that the existing investigation officer had failed in his duty and gave the officer three days to submit all relevant materials.

West Bengal, and specifically Kolkata, is becoming a sanctuary for criminals as long as they enjoy political connections. The Mamata Banerjee-led government, instead of safeguarding justice, seems more interested in shielding those close to power, turning its back on victims and their pleas for justice. If the top brass of the state can’t be trusted to protect one of its own—an IAS officer’s wife—how can ordinary citizens feel safe? The systemic failures, inefficiencies, and outright negligence showcased in this case are just one more example of how the administration is rotting from within.

The case and the alleged delays and cover-ups by Kolkata police

The tragic events surrounding the alleged rape of an IAS officer's wife on July 14 and 15 in Kolkata’s Lake Thana area have left a stain on the West Bengal government and its police force. As details of the case come to light, it becomes clear that this is yet another example of the systemic negligence that seems to plague the Mamata Banerjee administration. Despite the severity of the crime, involving a rape at gunpoint, the authorities once again chose to drag their feet rather than take swift action. The victim, employed in a managerial role at a private company, recounted the chilling ordeal: she was raped twice in her own home, once at 11:30 pm on July 14 and again at 6:30 am the following day, while her husband was stationed outside the state.

Rather than receiving immediate support from the authorities, the victim encountered roadblocks from the start. On July 15, when she mustered the courage to report the crime at Lake police station, she was met with inexplicable delays in processing her complaint. This delay would turn out to be the first of many indications that justice was being denied.

The victim, realizing that the police were dragging their feet, approached the Calcutta High Court with accusations that the charge sheet had been tampered with. Such a serious allegation against the police paints a dark picture of law enforcement in West Bengal, suggesting that those who are supposed to protect citizens are more interested in covering up crimes to shield the guilty.

The harassment didn’t stop there. On the very same day she attempted to file her complaint, the victim reported facing intimidation from the family of the accused. Both the son and wife of the accused were reportedly brought to the station by police officers, clearly as part of an effort to coerce the victim into withdrawing her complaint. The involvement of the accused's family, alongside police officers, is a direct testament to the depths of corruption and collusion that exist within the state’s police force. Such intimidation tactics should have no place in a just society, yet they seem to be the norm in West Bengal under the current administration.

Even more alarming is the fact that the victim’s request for scrutiny of the CCTV footage from Lake police station, covering the critical hours between 4 pm and 8 pm, has been completely ignored. One would assume that any competent investigation would prioritize reviewing this footage to ascertain the events that transpired, but this, too, was conveniently brushed aside. The police’s reluctance to examine the CCTV footage points to a deliberate attempt to hide the truth, further cementing the accusations of a cover-up.

In yet another instance of police negligence, the victim was forced to arrange her own medical examination at a government facility, as the police failed to do so. Medical examinations are standard procedure in rape cases, and the fact that the victim had to take the initiative herself is shocking. Such callous disregard for proper protocol by the authorities only adds to the growing list of failures that have characterized this case.

The state’s counsel, in an almost laughable defense, argued that the victim did not file a formal written complaint but instead used a friend’s mobile phone to send a WhatsApp message to the officer on duty. This flimsy excuse does little to explain why the police did not immediately act on the victim’s account. It appears to be just another attempt to deflect attention away from their own incompetence and lack of concern.

The state’s counsel pointed out that there were inconsistencies between the WhatsApp message and her oral statement, leading to an absurd conclusion that the victim was then instructed to submit a written and signed complaint. This technicality of insisting on a formal written complaint instead of treating the verbal report with seriousness is yet another example of how the West Bengal police appear more interested in bureaucratic hurdles than actually addressing the horrific crime. Instead of focusing on the brutal nature of the crime, they nitpicked over the form in which the report was given, conveniently slowing down the process of seeking justice.

The state’s defense didn’t stop there. In an effort to justify the police's initial leniency towards the accused, it was claimed that the victim’s medical report did not initially provide conclusive evidence of rape. This flimsy defense was enough to allow the accused to be granted bail shortly after his arrest by a lower court. The fact that bail was granted so swiftly, despite the gravity of the allegations, demonstrates the appalling lack of empathy or urgency shown by the authorities.

However, the High Court was not willing to let this gross miscarriage of justice continue. After Friday’s hearing on September 27, the Calcutta High Court revoked the bail of the accused, stepping in where the police and lower courts had failed. In a move that highlights the lack of trust in the current investigation, the court ordered that a female officer of Deputy Commissioner rank be appointed to take over the case. The hope is that with a more senior and responsible officer leading the investigation, the victim will finally get the justice that the state government has so far denied her.

The court did not stop at just reassigning the investigation. In a powerful ruling, it also instructed the Kolkata Police Commissioner to take disciplinary action against several officers, including the Officer-in-Charge of Lake Police Station, a sub-inspector, a sergeant, and three female police officers. The High Court’s decision to call out the specific officers who botched the investigation reflects just how badly this case was handled from the start. Their negligence, whether through incompetence or outright collusion, has resulted in unnecessary delays, causing further trauma to the victim.

The Calcutta High Court minced no words in addressing the weaknesses in the investigation. It openly noted that despite the seriousness of the allegations, the case had been severely compromised. The delays in filing the FIR and the alleged tampering with the charge sheet raised serious concerns about the transparency and integrity of the investigation. This criticism of the West Bengal police force and, by extension, the Mamata Banerjee government, is both harsh and deserved. Time and time again, the authorities in this state have demonstrated that political interests outweigh justice.

The incompetence, delays, and suspected tampering have done nothing but erode the public’s trust in the ability of the West Bengal government to protect its citizens, especially women. With every new revelation in this case, it becomes clearer that justice was not the priority—saving face and protecting the powerful was. The Mamata Banerjee administration, along with its police force, continues to fail those it is meant to serve, and it seems that without judicial intervention, this would have been just another rape case buried under a mountain of cover-ups and deceit.

Amit Malviya, the In-charge of BJP's National Information & Technology Department and Co-incharge for West Bengal, made his stance crystal clear on the deteriorating state of women's safety in the region. His post on the X platform painted a grim picture of the horrific crimes unfolding under the watch of Mamata Banerjee’s government. "After rape and murder of a young woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College & hospital, another SHOCKING incident emerges from West Bengal," he wrote, shedding light on the plight of the IAS officer’s wife who had endured a brutal two-day ordeal at gunpoint in her own home on July 14-15. The fact that such a high-profile crime could occur in Lake Police Station’s jurisdiction without being thoroughly investigated by the Kolkata Police is both shocking and enraging.

Malviya did not hold back in his assessment of the situation, highlighting that despite the victim reporting the matter to the police, they "did not investigate the matter properly." This statement reflects a deeper truth about the law enforcement in West Bengal, where cases of this magnitude are often swept under the rug, especially when it involves political or influential circles. The police’s attempt to destroy evidence and manipulate the investigation only adds another layer of betrayal, not only to the victim but to all women in West Bengal who might expect protection from the law.

Malviya pointed out the "scathing observations" made by the Calcutta High Court regarding the failures of the police. The court, in its strong-worded order, demanded accountability from the authorities by launching an inquiry against five police officers, including the Officer-in-Charge at the time. The court’s involvement serves as a reminder that justice is often only attainable when it escapes the clutches of the local police under the Mamata-led government. Without the court’s intervention, this case may have suffered the same fate as so many others—lost in a sea of political cover-ups.

What makes this case even more disturbing, as Malviya points out, is that the victim was no ordinary citizen. She is the wife of an influential IAS officer, a fact that should have galvanized the police into action. But instead of investigating the crime with the seriousness it demanded, "West Bengal Police did everything possible to erase trail of the crime." If the wife of an IAS officer cannot find justice in Kolkata, what hope is there for the poor and marginalized women of the state? The fear expressed by Malviya is valid: "One can imagine how vulnerable the poor and marginalised are."

Malviya made it clear that this is "not an isolated incident," but rather a growing pattern of violence and indifference towards women’s safety in West Bengal. From #Sandeshkhali to RG Kar MCH, the number of incidents involving rape, sexual assault, and violence against women are mounting, with no proper action being taken by the authorities. Malviya’s scathing criticism of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was blunt and unapologetic, accusing her of prioritizing "political opportunism" over the safety and dignity of women in her state. "Under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, safety of women is increasingly compromised."

His message was clear: the government, led by Banerjee, is failing its people. There is a "complete breakdown in law and order," where political motives take precedence over justice and human dignity. Women, particularly those from vulnerable communities, are being left to fend for themselves in a state where their protection is not a priority. "Mamata Banerjee is an absolute disgrace. A blot on humanity," Malviya stated boldly, calling for her resignation as the only way forward.

As Malviya closed his statement, his demand for accountability was resounding. "The people of West Bengal deserve a government that prioritizes their safety, especially safety of women." The cover-ups, the excuses, and the negligence must end. The time has come for real justice and accountability, and according to Malviya, that begins with Mamata Banerjee stepping down from her position as Chief Minister.

This strong condemnation reflects not just the political rivalry but also a real concern for the safety of women in West Bengal, which has been repeatedly ignored by the current administration. As Malviya’s post gains traction, the question remains—will this case finally bring about the change that West Bengal desperately needs, or will it, like so many others, become just another statistic in the state’s disturbing trend of sexual violence and injustice?

The shoddy investigation by the Kolkata police in the RG Kar rape and murder case

The RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case has exposed yet another glaring example of the Kolkata Police’s gross incompetence in handling sensitive cases. The case, involving the tragic death of a young doctor, has left the public outraged, and rightfully so. Despite the heinous nature of the crime, the police dragged their feet at every step. The Supreme Court had to step in and criticize the Kolkata Police for the delay in filing an FIR, a basic step that should have been taken immediately. But in typical fashion, the police came forward with a timeline of their investigation, conveniently shared through a government lawyer, trying to justify their inaction.

One would expect the timeline to focus on the accused and the details surrounding the crime. However, in a shocking turn of events, the police provided detailed professional backgrounds for everyone they interrogated, except for the main accused, Sanjoy Roy. This selective approach reeks of favoritism and further highlights the deliberate attempt to protect Roy from scrutiny. The information shared about Roy was vague, and the only details available were source-based, hinting at his possible ties to the police force. If the main accused has connections within the force, it’s no wonder the investigation was compromised from the start.

The case becomes even more disturbing when you consider Roy's violent past. Roy’s late wife’s family had lodged a complaint against him, accusing him of assaulting her while she was three months pregnant. Yet, shockingly, no action was taken against him for this brutal act. Such protection and impunity enjoyed by criminals with political or police ties have become a hallmark of Mamata Banerjee's administration, where justice is reserved for the privileged few, while the rest are left to suffer.

But Sanjoy Roy is not the only beneficiary of this corruption-laden system. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) government's handling of Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, raises serious questions about the Mamata Banerjee government’s casual approach towards such serious crimes. Despite multiple complaints against Ghosh, the health department, led by none other than Mamata Banerjee herself, turned a blind eye to the accusations. When those in power refuse to act, it is not just a failure of governance but a signal that law and order have completely broken down in West Bengal.

Even sources within the TMC acknowledge the immense influence Ghosh wielded. Instead of being held accountable for his actions, Ghosh’s resignation was swiftly followed by a reassignment to another post, a clear indication of the impunity enjoyed by those with political connections. This constant reshuffling of tainted officials reflects the systemic corruption under Mamata Banerjee’s rule, where the powerful are shielded and rewarded, while justice remains elusive for the victims.

The Kolkata Police’s shoddy investigation in the RG Kar case sparked outrage not only among the victim’s family but also among junior doctors and civil society members. The mishandling of the case led to widespread protests, with demonstrators demanding the resignation of then Kolkata Police Commissioner, Vineet Goel. The pressure from the protestors eventually led to Goel’s removal, but this was too little, too late. The damage had already been done, and the public had lost what little trust remained in the Kolkata Police.

Thankfully, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has now taken over the investigation, following an order from the Calcutta High Court. The rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College has now become a national-level issue, with hopes that the CBI will ensure a proper investigation that the Kolkata Police had miserably failed to conduct.

The Mamata Banerjee government’s repeated failures in addressing sexual crimes in the state are a stain on its governance. The pattern of inaction, combined with political opportunism and police cover-ups, has turned West Bengal into a dangerous place for women. From Sandeshkhali to RG Kar, women are increasingly finding themselves at risk, with little hope for justice. The continued impunity of powerful figures like Ghosh and the protection offered to accused individuals like Sanjoy Roy show that under Mamata Banerjee’s leadership, the rule of law is a farce. The people of West Bengal deserve better than this.

It is a travesty that only after sustained public outcry and the intervention of the courts does action take place in West Bengal. Without accountability at the highest levels of the TMC government and the police force, these systemic failures will persist. Mamata Banerjee must take responsibility for the collapse of law and order, and the people of West Bengal should no longer tolerate the excuses and cover-ups that define her administration. Women deserve to feel safe in their own state, and until there is a government that truly prioritizes their safety, tragedies like the RG Kar case will continue to haunt West Bengal.