Trinamul Congress today lambasted the CBI after the investigating officer and the counsel of the agency did not turn up at the Sealdah Court, where the prime accused in the rape and murder at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital was produced.

TMC’s Kunal Ghosh said this shows the callousness and indifference of the CBI. The judge at the Sealdah court took a strong exception. Mr Ghosh said the Kolkata Police had arrested Sanjay Roy within 24 hours after the incident took place on 9 August. The high court had ordered CBI inquiry on 13 August and since then the CBI has not made any progress in the case. Not a single person has been arrested and the agency has refused to disclose the progress of the investigation.

He said interestingly, the BJP, CPM and Congress are silent on the matter. “On one hand they said we demand justice, and on the other, the leaders of these parties remain quiet when the CBI investigating officer and lawyer fail to turn up at the court,” he pointed out.

Bratya Basu and Dr Shashi Panja at a press conference, held yesterday, at Trinamul Bhavan urged the CBI to break the silence and hold a press conference to disclose the progress of investigation.

Trinamul Congress in its X handle wrote: “After a 24-day delay, the prime accused in the R G Kar case, Sanjay Roy was set to be produced in the court today.

But, where was the investigating officer? Where was the CBI headquarters counsel? Nowhere to be seen! This is how utterly interested the CBI is when it comes to handling the case. It’s deliberate sabotage of the judicial process, with the CBI playing BJP’s local sidekick rather than discharging their duty.”

Dr Shashi Panja in her X handle wrote ” 24 days later, @CBIHeadquarters still can’t get its act together. The investigating officer skipping court hearings for a case this sensitive- this is what you get when the CBI plays sidekickto @BJP4India. Justice for the RG Karvictim? Clearly not a priority.”

Saket Gokhale, Trinamul Congress Rajya Sabha MP in his X handle wrote: “Something shocking happened today which exposes the dirty plans of the CBI. The accused in the RG Kar rape and murder case was produced in the court today for his remand. However, the CBI investigating officer and the CBI lawyer were both absent. Expressing extreme displeasure, the Ld Magistrate was shocked that chose to remain absent. The Magistrate even said, “This is very unfortunate. Should I grant him bail?”

CBI wants to get the rape and murder accused monster released on bail. An active effort is being made by CBI, BJP and the Modi govt to run a political agenda and bury the case.

How can the CBI allow this monster to get bail? What is the sinister agenda that is being played out? Why was the CBI absent in the court today?

This is a very shocking development and the CBI must answer under whose pressure this heinous crime is being carried out. BJP has diverted the protests into a political agenda and are quietly conniving with CBI to bury the actual case.”