Court extends custody of Sandip Ghosh & Abhijit Mondal till Sep 20; CBI flags larger conspiracy

During the hearing of the RG Kar Medical College case in Sealdah Court on Tuesday, questions about a potential conspiracy before the brutal rape and murder of Abhaya on August 9 arose. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has requested an additional three days of custody for former principal Sandip Ghosh and Tala police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abhijit Mondal, who were arrested in connection with the case.

The CBI lawyer revealed in court that after examining phone call records and CCTV footage related to the arrested individuals, suspicious mobile numbers were uncovered, suggesting further involvement of other individuals. The lawyer indicated that these other individuals had not been cooperative during the investigation. Due to this lack of cooperation and the need for further interrogation, the CBI sought to extend the custody of Sandeep Ghosh and Abhijit Mondal.

The court granted the request, sending both Ghosh and Mondal into custody until September 20, allowing the CBI to continue its investigation and interrogate the suspects further in light of the emerging evidence. The possibility of a larger conspiracy surrounding Abhaya's murder remains a key focus for the CBI.

This has created a significant stir within Kolkata Police, particularly among the lower-ranking personnel. Officers expressed dissatisfaction with receiving orders via informal channels like WhatsApp calls.