CBI arrests former O.C. of Tala Police Station in RG Kar case, ex-O.C. seeks bail in Kolkata HC

Abhijit Mondal, the former Officer-in-Charge (O.C.) of the Tala Police Station, has filed a bail petition before the Kolkata High Court after his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the RG Kar case. Mondal, along with Sandeep Ghosh, the former principal of R.G. Kar Medical College, was arrested by the CBI on September 14 on charges of evidence tampering related to the investigation into the death of a junior doctor. The bail hearing is scheduled for this week before a division bench of Justice Arijit Banerjee.

The Abhaya case came to light on August 9, when a junior doctor’s body was found in the seminar hall of R.G. Kar Medical College. Following the discovery, the police initially detained a civic volunteer within 24 hours. However, concerns about the quality and transparency of the police investigation led to a public outcry. The Kolkata High Court intervened, ordering the CBI to take over the investigation. The CBI subsequently arrested Mondal and Ghosh on charges of tampering with evidence related to the case.

The CBI’s investigation into the Abhaya case has included multiple rounds of questioning and evidence collection. The agency has stated that the arrests were made based on evidence tampering, though specific details have not been publicly disclosed. The CBI’s charge sheet, which includes these arrests, has faced scrutiny from various quarters, including junior doctors, who have expressed dissatisfaction with the pace and findings of the investigation.

Mondal's bail petition is now under review, and the Kolkata High Court will decide whether to grant or deny bail. If Mondal is granted bail, it will have significant implications for the ongoing investigation. The court's decision is expected to further influence the CBI's handling of the case and the public's perception of the investigation’s progress.