New Delhi: The investigation into the recent rape-murder case involving a Kolkata doctor has been assigned to two of the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) top women officers, known for their expertise in handling high-profile cases. The lead role in overseeing the investigation has been entrusted to Sampat Meena, a 1994-batch IPS officer from Jharkhand, renowned for her work on the Hathras rape-murder and the Unnao rape cases. Supporting her is Seema Pahuja, who was also part of the Hathras investigation team.
Ms. Meena, an Additional Director, will supervise a team of 25 officers. Ms. Pahuja, an Additional Superintendent of Police, will manage the on-ground investigation. She has received two Gold Medals for her investigative excellence between 2007 and 2018. Although she had considered taking Voluntary Retirement due to family responsibilities, the then CBI Director convinced her to continue her service.
A few years ago, Ms. Pahuja played a key role in securing a conviction in what was considered a challenging case—the 2017 Gudiya rape-murder in Himachal Pradesh. The case involved the abduction and murder of a Class 10 student whose body was discovered two days after she went missing. Anil Kumar, a woodcutter, was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2021. The breakthrough came through advanced DNA technology, which matched the forensic samples to Kumar’s father, leading to Kumar’s arrest.
In 2017, the CBI team also secured a conviction in the Unnao rape case. BJP leader and local MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, expelled from the party following the case, received a life sentence for the gang-rape of a 17-year-old Dalit girl. He was additionally convicted for the death of the girl’s father in judicial custody and is serving a 10-year sentence for that offense.
The 2020 Hathras case, which drew nationwide outrage, involved the brutal assault and gang-rape of a 19-year-old by four men of the so-called upper caste. The victim succumbed to her injuries in Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital. The case intensified public anger when the Uttar Pradesh Police cremated her body without her family’s consent or presence.
Three of the four accused have been acquitted, while the fourth, Sandeep Thakur, was convicted only for culpable homicide, not rape or murder. The court’s decision was influenced by discrepancies between the victim’s statement and forensic evidence, with claims of no evidence of rape and the victim’s death attributed to a neck injury.
The state police faced severe criticism for their handling of the case, including delays in filing the First Information Report, denial of rape allegations, and the controversial cremation of the victim. In response to public pressure, the state government suspended five police officers, including the Superintendent of Police, on October 3, 2020.
