NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minster on Monday came all-out in defense of her government and dismissed allegations of offering money to the deceased trainee doctor‘s family who was raped and murdered at a state-run hospital in Kolkata.
The TMC supremo, who is under fire from various quarters, also defended her decision to not sack the Kolkata commissioner in the light of the horrific incident that shook the nation.
The chief minister went on to call the accusations of offering money as “slander” and said it was a conspiracy hatched by the Centre along with the left parties.
“I have never offered money to the deceased doctor’s family, this is nothing but slander”.
“I told the deceased doctor’s parents that if they wanted to do something in their daughter’s memory, our government is with them. Kolkata Commissioner of Police, Vineet Goyal, offered to resign after RG Kar protests, but we need someone who knows law and order ahead of Durga Puja,” she said.
The response from the chief minister came as the Supreme Court heard a suo motu petition on the matter and directed the CBI to submit a fresh status report by next week, while the parents of the deceased doctors alleging that the Kolkata Police attempted to cover up the case.
A week back, the parents of the deceased alleged that the Kolkata police attempted to cover up the case and “offered them money to stay silent on the death of their daughter”.
“The police, from the very beginning, tried to hush up the case. We were not allowed to see the body and had to wait at the police station while the body was taken for a post-mortem examination. Later, when the body was handed over to us, a senior police official offered us money, which we immediately declined,” the father had alleged.
However, earlier in the day, the Supreme Court directed the CBI to submit a fresh report on the case by September 17.
The apex court also reminded that no action should be taken against doctors once they return to work by 5 PM on Tuesday.
The court, however, noted that it would not be able to restrain the state government if they failed to return to work. Further absence, the Supreme Court noted, might lead to disciplinary action against them.
The top court had previously questioned the West Bengal police over several issues related to the rape and muder case.
The court flagged several alleged lapses — including delays in filing the FIR, handing over the body of the deceased doctor to her family, and failing to protect medical staff during a mob attack.