- विज्ञापन -
Kolkata: The Centre informed the Calcutta High Court on Thursday that the West Bengal government has the authority to take action against former Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal for disclosing the name of the victim in the R.G. Kar rape and murder case during a press conference following the incident.
During the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed last month, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Ashoke Chakraborty stated that there are no restrictions preventing the state government from initiating proceedings against Goyal. The division bench, led by Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam, requested that the Department of Personnel & Training (DOPT) be included in the case, as it oversees all Central service officers, including Indian Police Service (IPS) officers like Goyal.
The bench also ordered the DOPT to submit an affidavit explaining what actions can be taken against all-India service officers for legal breaches. The ASG, representing the Union Home Ministry, confirmed that the West Bengal government is free to act against Goyal. However, the petitioner, Anita Pandey, a legal practitioner, may file a new appeal if the state fails to take action. The case is scheduled for another hearing on December 23.
Goyal, who is currently the Additional Director General (ADG) of the Special Task Force (STF) of West Bengal Police, faced significant criticism regarding the initial investigation into the R.G. Kar case during his tenure. Junior doctors have consistently called for his removal, which was ultimately granted by the Chief Minister, leading to Goyal’s replacement by Manoj Kumar Verma. Previously, the investigation into the rape and murder case was transferred from the Kolkata Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Both the Supreme Court and the Calcutta High Court have previously criticized the disclosure of the victim’s identity.
