Ex-TMC MLA Nirmal Ghosh arrested over involvement in 'hurried cremation' of RG Kar victim's body

Former Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Nirmal Ghosh was arrested in Odisha on Thursday over his alleged involvement in the "hurried cremation" of the doctor who was raped and murdered at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in 2024, police said.

Ghosh, the former Panihati MLA, was arrested on charges including destruction of evidence, criminal conspiracy and forcing someone to carry out an act against their will.

Police said he was being brought back to West Bengal by road and is likely to be produced before a Barrackpore court in North 24-Parganas on Friday.

Victim's father filed fresh complaint

The arrest followed a fresh complaint lodged by the victim doctor's father at Khardaha Police Station on Monday. He alleged that Ghosh was among three people who pressured the family into the "hurried cremation" of his daughter's body.

The other two named in the complaint are former Panihati Municipality chairman Somnath Dey and the family's neighbour Sanjib Mukherjee.

The victim's parents had earlier alleged that the police failed to act on their complaint and that the cremation was carried out hastily under Ghosh's supervision to prevent the possibility of a second autopsy.

CM orders fresh probe into cremation

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had directed the Barrackpore Police Commissioner to launch a fresh investigation into the alleged hasty cremation while attending a memorial programme for the victim in Panihati on Sunday.

"The one circumstance related to this case which the CBI is not probing is the hurried cremation of the victim. Documents show that the body, which was third in queue at the crematorium, was advanced to the first spot," Adhikari had said.

"The signatures of the parents were not taken on the relevant documents before the cremation, and even the mandatory cremation fee was waived. I am directing Barrackpore CP to start a fresh case and take appropriate action against the accused," he had said.

Ghosh was seen at RG Kar on August 9

Ghosh, who was the Panihati MLA at the time, was seen at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on the evening of August 9, 2024, when the intern doctor's body was discovered.

He allegedly met the hospital's then principal Sandip Ghosh, who was later arrested, and was later seen accompanying the hearse carrying the body to the crematorium.

The victim's father has also alleged that those accused were present at his house and pressured the family to take the body to the crematorium despite their reluctance.

Junior doctors question timing of arrests

BJP spokesperson Debjit Sarkar said the government would ensure that the investigation proceeds without outside interference.

"The Mamata Banerjee-led government had tried to stall the probe and made every attempt to jeopardise it, including preventing names of its party leaders from featuring in the FIRs. That will not happen anymore. Law will take its own course and all those who are behind this crime will face justice," he said.

Dr Asfakulla Naiya, one of the leaders of the junior doctors' movement, welcomed the fresh arrests but questioned the pace of the investigation.

"It's good that fresh arrests are taking place. But we still do not have any clarity on what happened on the intervening night of August 8-9, 2024, when that horrible crime took place. We have reasons to believe that the real investigation is being inordinately delayed," he said.

Dr Aniket Mahato, another protest leader, also questioned why the CBI had not made such arrests earlier.

"Over two years have passed since, and certain facts of the aspects, which were clear as daylight right from the beginning, were overlooked by the agency. It beats us why such arrests are being made only now when they should have taken place long before," he said.

RG Kar case sparked nationwide protests

The 2024 crime triggered nationwide protests and a 42-day strike by junior doctors at state-run hospitals, who demanded a thorough investigation and better security on medical campuses.

A civic volunteer, Sanjoy Roy, was convicted of the rape and murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.

The victim's family has continued to allege that the wider conspiracy behind the crime remains unresolved, with other alleged individuals yet to be brought into the investigation.