Kolkata, March 20 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials probing the R.G. Kar rape and murder case have summoned seven nursing staff who were on duty on the night of the crime in the ward where the body of the victim was recovered from on the morning of August 9 last year.

Sources said the notices were issued to these seven nursing staff on Thursday and have been asked to be present at CBI’s central government office (CGO) complex office at Salt Lake in the northern outskirts of Kolkata at the earliest and if possible by this afternoon.

The development has been significant since this week only the Supreme Court has allowed the Calcutta High Court to conduct a hearing on a petition by the victim’s parents questioning the progress of the Central agency’s investigation in the matter so far.

The Calcutta High Court was initially not agreeable to hear the matter since the matter was being heard at the apex court. However, now with the apex court’s approval parallel hearings can happen both at the apex court and the court, besides the one already continuing at a special court in Kolkata.

Secondly, the summons to the seven nursing staff was issued a day after the victim’s parents on Wednesday finally received the death certificate of their deceased daughter after running from pillar to post for the last seven months.

The state health secretary, Narayan Swarup Nigam, personally went to their residence and handed over the death certificate to them.

The development is also significant considering that the CBI has already promised to submit a supplementary charge sheet at the special court in Kolkata highlighting the angle of the tampering of evidence in the case while the initial investigation was carried out by Kolkata Police before it was handed over to the CBI following an order of the Calcutta High Court.

The victim’s parents have repeatedly complained that the doctors and nursing staff present at the ward on the night of the tragedy were not questioned by the investigating officials of the Central agency.

To recall, the CBI earlier arrested Sandip Ghosh, the former and controversial principal of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, and Abhijit Mondal, the former SHO of Tala Police Station, on charges of tampering with evidence.

However, both were granted default bail because the CBI failed to file a supplementary charge sheet against them within 90 days from the date of their arrests.

The special court has already sentenced Sanjay Roy, the sole convict in the crime of rape and murder, to life imprisonment. However, CBI has already challenged that order at the Calcutta High Court and demanded the death penalty for Roy.

–IANS

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