Mamata Banerjee calls bribery allegations in doctor's rape case 'slander'

'I have never offered any money to the deceased doctor's family. This is nothing but slander', said Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday refuted allegations that the Kolkata Police had offered a bribe to the family of a trainee doctor who was raped and killed at a state-run hospital in Kolkata. Banerjee dismissed the claims as a smear campaign against her government, saying that no money was ever offered to the parents of the victim.

The father of the 32-year-old doctor had accused the police of attempting to cover up the case. In a statement made last week, he alleged that the Kolkata Police offered them money in an attempt to silence them and hush up the investigation.

“The police, from the very beginning, tried to cover up the case. We were not allowed to see the body and were made to wait at the police station while the body was taken for a post-mortem examination. Later, when the body was handed over to us, a senior police official offered us money, which we immediately declined,” the father had said.

Responding to these allegations, Banerjee categorically denied the accusations, calling them defamatory. “I have never offered any money to the deceased doctor’s family. This is nothing but slander,” she said during a press conference. 

She further clarified that she had expressed her government’s support to the family if they wished to memorialise their daughter.

Banerjee said Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal had offered to resign following the protests at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where the incident took place. However, she stated, “We need someone who understands law and order, especially with the Durga Puja celebrations approaching.”
 

Banerjee also suggested that the allegations were part of a larger political conspiracy, accusing the Centre and left-leaning parties of exploiting the situation. “Some people are taking advantage of the turmoil in a neighbouring country, forgetting that India and Bangladesh are separate nations,” she said.
 

In a further twist to the controversy, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) released a video of the trainee doctor’s father refuting the bribery allegations. In the video, the father can be heard saying, “These are baseless rumours. We have not said anything about police officials attempting to bribe us. This is a blatant lie.”
 

The case has sparked widespread public outrage, with protests erupting over the handling of the investigation. Opposition parties have criticised Banerjee’s government for failing to ensure the safety of medical professionals and for allegedly attempting to suppress the case. The ruling TMC has faced mounting pressure, as the incident has become a focal point of political debate in West Bengal.