Ex-TMC MLA Nirmal Ghosh arrested over hurried cremation of RG Kar victim

Former Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Nirmal Ghosh was arrested in Odisha on Thursday in connection with the alleged hurried cremation of a junior doctor who was raped and murdered at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in August 2024, police confirmed. The arrest follows a complaint filed by the victim’s father, who alleged that the cremation was conducted with unusual haste to prevent a second post-mortem examination and potentially eliminate evidence. Ghosh, who represented Panihati in the West Bengal legislative assembly, faces charges including destruction of evidence, criminal conspiracy, and forcing someone to carry out an act against their will.

The victim, a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor, was found dead inside a seminar room at RG Kar Medical College on August 9, 2024. Investigators later determined she had been raped and murdered the previous night. The case, which was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for probe, resulted in one conviction, though the case remains pending before the Calcutta High Court. The cremation of her body, however, has now become the focus of a separate investigation. Police confirmed that the victim’s father filed a complaint alleging that Ghosh and two others—Panihati Municipality councillor Somnath Dey and neighbor Sanjeev Mukherjee—were involved in orchestrating the hurried cremation.

The complaint claimed the cremation was conducted without the family’s consent and in a manner that could have obstructed a second autopsy. It also alleged that procedural requirements were not followed, including the absence of family signatures on documents and an alleged waiver of the cremation fee. These claims were raised by Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari during a memorial event for the victim in Panihati, where he directed the Barrackpore Police Commissionerate to initiate a separate investigation into the cremation process. Police have since registered an FIR naming Ghosh, Dey, and Mukherjee, though no charges have been formally proven yet.

Ghosh’s arrest comes nearly two years after the doctor’s death and amid renewed scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding her funeral. The victim’s father has accused the trio of acting to conceal evidence, with the complaint suggesting the rushed cremation was intended to prevent further examination of the body. Police are now investigating the involvement of the accused, the procedures followed during the cremation, and whether any legal protocols were violated. The case remains distinct from the CBI’s ongoing probe into the rape and murder, which has already resulted in one conviction.

The arrest has drawn attention to the procedural aspects of the cremation, as outlined in the complaint. The victim’s family has expressed frustration over the delays and perceived obstructions in seeking justice. Their complaint, filed at Khardah police station, has prompted authorities to re-examine the cremation process, which occurred shortly after the doctor’s death. The case also highlights the scrutiny of funeral procedures in cases under official investigation, as per the allegations in the FIR.