Mamata Banerjee Gives West Bengal Police One Week To Solve Kolkata Rape And Murder Case, Or She Will Transfer It To CBI

Amid the West Bengal administration facing criticism for not taking swift action in the rape and murder case of a trainee doctor at Kolkata's hospital, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee gave a one-week ultimatum to the state police.

"I want the Police to arrest the accused as early as possible. If the Police are unable to solve this case by Sunday, then we will not keep this case in our hands, we will hand it over to CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation)," she said.

Till now, accused Sanjay Roy has been arrested over the sexual assault and murder of a second-year postgraduate doctor in the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, but police suspect there can be more culprits.

Banerjee elaborated that she has asked to set up a fast-track court immediately and the police, Dog Squad, Forensic department and other teams are on the job, while the principal of the medical college has resigned.

The West Bengal CM praised the police team as "best in the world", while simultaneously criticising CBI's "low success rate" and their inability to "bring justice" to the theft of Rabindranath Tagore's Nobel Prize.

Despite these criticisms, Banerjee's consideration to transfer the case to the CBI stems from the demands of protesting students, who have been seeking the intervention of the central investigative agency in the case.

Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal said. "We are certain... in the next four or five days, if there are more culprits, we will be able to arrest them."

Goyal added that a helpline has been started so that doctors can give information by calling and can communicate anonymously if they have suspicions on anyone.

"We are in touch with family members. We will stay in touch and share progress with them... If, even after that, the family is not satisfied then whatever madam (Banerjee) has said will happen," he said.