Hakim stages dharna demanding capital punishment for culprit

Kolkata: Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim on Sunday staged a dharna in front of Ahindra Mancha in Chetla and Kidderpore Crossing demanding capital punishment of the accused person/ persons in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape and murder incident.

“We conducted a rally in demand for the death sentence on Saturday and on Sunday we staged a dharna. The CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) should submit the first chargesheet in the case by today (Sunday). The Kolkata Police would have submitted the first chargesheet if they were conducting the probe in the case. An incident has happened and a person has been arrested but we are still in the dark about his actual involvement, whether more persons are involved,” Hakim said.

The CBI took up the investigation of the case under the directions of Calcutta High Court on August 13. Civic volunteer Sanjoy Roy who was arrested by the Kolkata Police soon after the crime has been taken into custody by the Central investigating agency.

Hakim termed the incident as a criminal conspiracy and was vocal in demanding the death sentence of the real culprit. “We are all united in demand for justice. My personal opinion is that the culprit should be hanged in public in a similar fashion as it is done in some other countries, though such an act is prohibited in India. This will set an example and will dissuade people from committing such a heinous crime in future,” said Hakim who is also the Trinamool Congress MLA from Kolkata Port Constituency.

Hakim appealed to the common people to abstain from circulating rumours about the incident on social media. “The proper direction of the probe gets affected through such rumours and delivers a wrong message to the society at large. It misguides people and this is tantamount to crime,” he added. The Mayor’s remark assumes significance as the Kolkata Police has already issued summons to many people in connection with such posts on social media.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who is also the chairperson of Trinamool Congress had led a rally demanding capital punishment in the case and had given a Sunday deadline to the CBI to complete the probe. She had said that the movement will be undertaken in Delhi from Monday, if the CBI fails to crack the case by Sunday.