CBI seeks PC, back-tracks; Sandip Ghosh, ex-Tala OC sent to judicial custody till October 4

Kolkata: Former RG Kar Medical College and Hospital principal Sandip Ghosh and former OC of Tala Police Station Abhijit Mondal have been remanded to judicial custody till October 4 after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday failed to produce the custodial statement during the hearing at the Sealdah Court.

According to sources, on Monday Ghosh and Mondal were produced at the Sealdah Court with a petition for their police remand claiming that the Central agency wanted to interrogate both Ghosh and Mondal making them sit face to face.

While hearing the arguments, the magistrate asked the CBI counsel to produce the custodial statement of Ghosh and Mondal as per the provisions in the section 161 of the CrPC.

However, the CBI failed to show it following which the court asked the Central agency why they were not opting for the interrogation during judicial custody.

Moreover, Ghosh’s lawyer stated that a similar interrogation was conducted by the CBI during his previous police remand.

Following the magistrate’s question, CBI suddenly stepped back and withdrew the petition for police remand.

With the court’s permission, the Central agency submitted a fresh petition seeking judicial custody for the duo.

But the lawyers appearing for Ghosh and Mondal pointed out that though CBI verbally sought judicial custody, they have not mentioned the same in the petition.

Again with court’s permission, CBI submitted another petition where it sought judicial custody for 14 days.

This time the defense counsel mentioned why CBI is seeking judicial custody for 14 days when they were earlier appealing for three days police remand.

After the hearing was over the court remanded Ghosh and Mondal to judicial custody till October 4 and also allowed CBI to interrogate them at the correctional home.

Later the court cautioned the CBI about the flaws during their submissions.