'Ghosh destroyed proof, ex-OC part of cover-up bid'

KOLKATA: Former RG Kar Medical College principal Sandip Ghosh and former Tala police station officer-in-charge Abhijit Mandal were remanded Sunday in three days' CBI custody (till Sept 17) over involvement in a "larger conspiracy" and for "destruction of evidence" over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the hospital on Aug 9, reported.

Mandal was arrested by CBI late Saturday and Ghosh , already in agency custody over alleged financial irregularities, was charged and held afresh for crimes linked to the rape-murder case. Seeking Mandal's remand, CBI told a special court that the cop was not an accused in the case but was suspected of evidence-tampering and involvement in a "nexus or conspiracy". Ghosh is suspected to have destroyed evidence, the agency said, adding that both had spoken multiple times on Aug 9.

CBI also raised questions on the initial police handling of the case. "It was a case of sexual assault and Mandal should have handled it more carefully," CBI lawyer Deepak Poria said.