The Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed a fresh investigation into the 2024 RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape and murder case. The new probe will specifically look into allegations regarding the destruction of evidence and attempts to downplay the horrific incident.

Special investigation team to probe evidence tampering

A division bench comprising Justices Shampa Sarkar and Tirthankar Ghosh ordered the formation of a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The high court directed that the team will be led by the CBI Joint Director (Eastern Zone). The remaining two members of the specialized team are to be finalized within the next 48 hours.

The court has ordered the SIT to thoroughly examine the sequence of events starting from the time the victim had her dinner on the night of August 9, 2024, up until her cremation. This directive comes in response to serious allegations raised by the victim’s parents, who claim that crucial evidence was tampered with and that systematic attempts were made to hush up the matter. Given the immense social ramifications of the case, the bench emphasized the necessity of investigating these claims of a cover-up.

Complete freedom granted to investigators

The newly formed SIT has been given full liberty by the high court to interrogate any individual deemed necessary to uncover the truth. The central agency is required to submit its detailed investigation report to the court by June 25, which is when the matter is scheduled to be heard next.

The initial tragedy, which involved the brutal rape and murder of the young postgraduate trainee doctor inside the seminar room of the state-run hospital, triggered widespread outrage across the country. While a civic volunteer named Sanjay Roy was previously arrested by the police and subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment for the crime, the victim’s parents approached the court seeking a deeper investigation. In their petition, they contended that more than one individual was involved in the heinous offense.

The central government has initiated a collaborative effort with major social media giants, including Meta, Google, and Telegram, to counter the spread of misinformation and secure the upcoming NEET-UG re-examination. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan chaired a high-level review meeting alongside central security and intelligence agencies to establish a foolproof security framework for the medical entrance test.

During the discussions, authorities raised serious concerns over the proliferation of fake paper-leak claims, clickbait content, and unverified information circulated via anonymous online groups and automated bots. Inputs from intelligence agencies revealed that multiple suspicious channels operate through a restricted set of phone numbers, pointing toward a coordinated effort to create panic among students and parents.

Focused crackdown on fraudulent networks

To address these vulnerabilities early, the Union Education Minister directed law enforcement and tech platforms to proactively identify, block, and take down channels spreading propaganda before the examination commences. The minister emphasized that social media platforms must work in sync with the Ministry of Education, the National Testing Agency (NTA), and security agencies to safeguard candidates from misleading narratives.

The high-level meeting, which included the director general of the NTA and senior ministry officials, aimed to map out potential security risks in advance to deploy preventive and corrective measures. Maintaining public trust in the examination process remains a top government priority.

The development follows the recent cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 exam originally held on May 3, which is currently being investigated by the CBI over paper-leak allegations. The re-test is officially scheduled to take place on June 21.

In a major political development, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay is expanding his Council of Ministers today by inducting 23 new MLAs. The expansion reflects a significant consolidation of the ruling alliance, bringing representation from key partner parties into the government.

Diverse representation in the new team

The incoming cohort of ministers consists of 21 lawmakers from Chief Minister Vijay’s party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), alongside 2 legislators from the allied Congress party. Media reports indicate that the expansion aims to reinforce unity among alliance partners, with further representation expected for other regional allies to balance regional and political administration. The official swearing-in ceremony for all 23 nominees is scheduled to take place today in Chennai.