Kolkata, Jan 4: With the process being completed for recording of statements by witnesses in the case related to the rape and murder of a woman junior doctor of R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata, the final arguments and counter-arguments in the matter are slated to start at a special court in Kolkata from Saturday.

Sources said in this part the arguments and counter-arguments will mainly be between the counsels of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the “sole prime accused” in the crime of rape and murder Sanjay Roy, an erstwhile civic volunteer attached to Kolkata Police.

However, there will be no media access to this session as well since it has been decided from the beginning that the entire trial process in the matter will be in-camera and barring those associated with the case and their counsels, no one else will be allowed to be present within the courtroom.

Sources said that the CBI has already submitted its investigation report in the matter to the special court.

Legal circles feel one of the most dominant factors in the process of argument and counter-arguments will be the latest report of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) which has raised serious questions on the “scene of crime” in the matter.

The body of the victim doctor was recovered from the seminar hall within R.G. Kar premises on the morning of August 9 last year.

Accordingly, first the Kolkata Police and thereafter the CBI carried out the investigation considering the seminar hall as the “scene of crime”.

However, the recently-surfaced CSFL report, a copy of which is available with IANS, has clearly stated there is no scientific evidence of a scuffle within the seminar room.

The CSFL report strengthened the apprehension raised by a section of the medical fraternity in the state that the actual “scene of crime” was someplace else and the body was shifted to the seminar hall to mislead future investigations.

The CSFL also clearly stated that the confidentiality factor of the post-mortem process was totally compromised and standard protocols were not followed.

At the same time while not ruling out the possibility of the involvement of just one accused in the crime, the CSFL report advocated for further research based on different past scientific reports by experts in similar cases which can lead to the final conclusion on whether more than one person was involved in the crime.

Kangpokpi: Fresh violence erupted in Manipur’s Kangpokpi town on Friday, leaving a police official injured and a Deputy Commissioner’s office attacked, further escalating tensions in the region. A group of individuals marched towards the administrative headquarters in Kangpokpi and launched an assault, police confirmed. The incident occurred in the Kuki and tribal-dominated hilly district, where the atmosphere remains extremely tense.

Recent Protest By Kuki Women In Saibol

This development follows recent unrest in the district’s Saibol area, where Kuki women protested against the deployment of joint security forces, including the Border Security Force (BSF), Indian Army and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The protest, which took place three days earlier, came in response to a security operation on December 29.

During this operation, security personnel cleared the region of armed militants and dismantled bunkers, intensifying tensions among the local populace. Large groups of women from nearby villages gathered to obstruct the forces’ operations, reflecting growing discontent.

CM Biren Singh Apologises To People Of Manipur

The latest violence comes shortly after Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh issued a public apology for the ethnic conflict that has plagued the state since May 2023. In a heartfelt video address, Singh expressed regret for the turmoil, which has claimed over 200 lives and displaced thousands. “This entire year has been very unfortunate,” Singh stated. “I feel regret and want to say sorry to the people of the state. Many people lost their loved ones and their homes. I hope that with the New Year 2025, normalcy and peace will be restored.”

Singh also appealed to all communities to ‘forgive and forget’ past grievances, emphasizing the need for unity and reconciliation. Addressing a press conference in Imphal, he stressed the state government’s commitment to restoring peace and highlighted recent progress toward stability.

Manipur has been embroiled in sporadic violence since May 3, 2023, driven by ethnic clashes between the majority Meitei community and the Kuki tribes over reservations and economic benefits. Despite efforts to quell the unrest, incidents like the one in Kangpokpi highlight the lingering challenges in achieving lasting peace in the state.

New Delhi, Jan 3: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice on a plea filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) challenging the acquittal of controversial self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh of the Dera Sacha Sauda in the Ranjit Singh murder case.

A bench of CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Sanjay Kumar directed to tag the CBI’s special leave petition with another pending petition filed by a family member of the deceased against the acquittal of Ram Rahim and four other accused.

In September 2024, a bench of Justices Bela M. Trivedi and S.C. Sharma agreed to examine a plea filed by the complainant Jasgeer Singh and sought responses from the CBI, Ram Rahim and the other accused persons.

In May last year, the Punjab and Haryana High Court allowed the appeals moved by Ram Rahim and others who were convicted by a CBI court in Panchkula in 2021.

A bench of Justices Sureshwar Thakur and Lalit Batra of the high court acquitted Avtar Singh, Jasbir Singh, Sabdil Singh, and Krishan Lal, all of whom were awarded life sentences along with the self-styled godman.

Despite the acquittal, Ram Rahim remained in prison as he stood convicted in other cases of rape and murder. Former Dera manager Ranjit Singh was shot by four assailants on July 10, 2002, at Khanpur Kolian village in Haryana’s Kurukshetra.

In 2021, a special CBI court found Ram Rahim and others guilty of the murder and sentenced them to life imprisonment. It was suspected that Ranjit Singh was murdered because of his alleged role in circulating a letter that narrated how the sect head was sexually exploiting women at the Dera headquarters in Sirsa.

Sirsa-based journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati later used the same letter in a news report. He was killed soon after the report was published. Ram Rahim was also convicted on the charges of murdering the journalist.