Why Kolkata Doctor's Rape-Murder Case Went To CBI: Court's Tough Remarks

Five days before Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's deadline to police, the Calcutta High Court intervened and ordered that the case be transferred to CBI at once.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had given Kolkata Police six days to complete the investigation into the chilling rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at a state-run hospital. If the city police cannot finish their probe by Sunday, she said Monday, the state government would recommend a CBI investigation into the incident that has shaken the state and the country.

But five days before the Chief Minister's deadline to police, the Calcutta High Court intervened and ordered that the case be transferred to the central agency at once. This was a rare occasion when a court ordered transfer of the case during the first hearing in the matter.

The bench led by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam noted that there has been "no significant progress in the investigation" so far and flagged the possibility of destruction of evidence. The court also noted serious lapses on the part of the hospital administration and slammed the former Principal, whose resignation and swift reinstatement in a key role has sparked a row.