Lalbazar scrolling social media: BJP's Locket Chatterjee lambasts after summon on 'misinformation'

The Kolkata Police have issued notices summoning BJP leader Locket Chatterjee and two prominent doctors, Dr Kunal Sarkar and Dr Subarno Goswami, for questioning at 3 pm on Sunday. According to the sources, the move is part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged dissemination of misinformation concerning the tragic rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

On August 9, the body of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor was discovered in the seminar hall of the government-run hospital, sparking nationwide outrage and protests. The gruesome nature of the crime has been further exacerbated by the spread of unverified information, some of which has been attributed to Dr Goswami. In several media appearances, Dr Goswami claimed to have seen the post-mortem report, alleging that it contained shocking details such as evidence of gang-rape, a fractured pelvic bone, and the presence of 150 grams of semen.

However, the Kolkata Police have firmly denied these claims, categorizing them as "fake news." Official statements from the police indicate that the post-mortem report does not corroborate Dr Goswami's assertions. The spread of these rumors on social media has reportedly fueled public anger, making the situation even more volatile.

Locket Chatterjee to face the heat?

Locket Chatterjee, who may face questioning for allegedly sharing the victim’s name and photo on social media, responded to the summons by criticizing the Kolkata Police. She accused them of focusing on monitoring social media rather than delivering justice to the victim. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), she wrote in Bangla, “Tilottama in the RG Kar case is still crying awaiting trial. But Lalbazar now has only one job, judging the posts of opposition leaders and common people by going through social media. Every day Lalbazar is calling people across the state and asking for answers to their posts. So many billions of people are calling Lalbazar every day, is there a place to detain them all in Lalbazar? On the other hand, marches, protests and women's movements are going on all around. But the administration has no qualms about it. The administration has used Lalbazar to see what the opposition leaders are posting on social media and to set up their trial. I want to say only one thing to the administration, give Tilottama justice without looking at social media, help CBI. Just don't be too quick to destroy the evidence. Tilottma's family is hoping that their daughter will get justice soon.”

আর জি কর কান্ডের তিলোত্তমা এখনও বিচারের অপেক্ষায় কাঁদছে। কিন্তু লালবাজারের এখন একটাই কাজ, সমাজ মাধ্যম ঘেঁটে বিরোধী নেতা নেত্রী ও সাধারণ মানুষের পোস্টের বিচার করা। প্রতিদিন লালবাজার রাজ্যে জুড়ে মানুষকে ডেকে পাঠাচ্ছে আর তাদের করা পোস্টের জবাব চাইছে। এত যে কোটি কোটি মানুষকে…

— Locket Chatterjee (@me_locket) August 18, 2024

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is also deeply involved in the case. On Saturday, it questioned Dr Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, for the second day in a row. The interrogation, which lasted several hours, centered on his actions and decisions on the night of the incident. The CBI is working to verify Dr Ghosh’s statements with accounts from other medical staff and police officers present at the time.