KOLKATA: Amid partial resumption of duties by protesting doctors after a gap of 42 days since the rape-murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, CBI sleuths on Saturday started questioning another doctor, allegedly close to Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of the college, a CBI officer said.
Birupaksha Biswas is one of the three doctors against whom an FIR has been lodged. The two other doctors — Avik De and Ranjit Saha — and Biswas have been charged with threatening students at different medical colleges and hospitals across West Bengal. They have been booked under Section 351 (assault as making a gesture or preparation causing someone to believe that they are about to be subjected to criminal force) of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.
Biswas, who was recently transferred by the health department from Burdwan Medical College and Hospital to remote Kakdwip hospital in South 24 Parganas district, appeared before CBI officers at its CGO Complex office in Salt Lake area.
Biswas, allegedly part of a ‘North Bengal lobby’ operational in medical colleges, was seen at RG Kar Hospital on August 9, when the body of the woman medic was found, the CBI officer said.
The ‘North Bengal lobby’ is being cited by medics in West Bengal to a group of doctors and officials posted at state-run medical establishments who allegedly threatened students.
“He is being questioned about his presence at RG Kar Hospital on August 9 despite having no official engagement, apart from other queries,” the officer said. In a tenuous peace with the government, junior doctors on Saturday rejoined their duties partially at various government-run hospitals in West Bengal after a gap of 42 days.
The “cease work” protest culminated in direct talks with the chief minister Mamata Banerjee where strikers stuck to their demands but yielded some ground citing patient care. The prolonged agitation was a spontaneous outpouring of outrage after the rape-murder of an on-duty woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
Junior doctors rejoined their duties following Kolkata doctor rape and murder case
The junior doctors rejoined their duties in essential and emergency services across all state-run hospitals, excluding the OPDs. “We have started rejoining duties today. Our colleagues have started returning to their respective departments since this morning only in essential and emergency services. Please do not forget that this is only a partial resumption of duties,” said an agitating doctor. He said his other colleagues have already left for flood-hit districts of the state where they would start ‘Abhaya clinics’ (medical camps), to demonstrate their commitment to public health even amid ongoing protests.
“It is a great relief for us. We support their cause but it had become very difficult for regular patients like us to get treatment for the last one month or so because of the agitation,” said a patient at Bankura Medical College and Hospital. Several patients were seen pouring in at an ‘Abhaya clinic’ in flood-hit Panskura in Purba Medinipur district. “We have received very good response in these clinics. Several people have visited the clinics and our colleagues have attended to them. We are ready to provide 24/7 service... it is our commitment,” Aheli Chowdhury, a junior doctor manning one such clinic, said.
The agitating doctors said that they would wait for another seven days for the administration to fulfill their demands for justice for the deceased doctor and the removal of state health secretary or else they would start another round of ‘cease work.’
