Archive · 3 Sep 2026
Ex-Panihati Municipality Chairman Arrested in RG Kar Cremation Case
Police arrested Somnath Dey in Bengaluru.
He used to lead the Panihati municipality.
Police say he may have helped arrange the quick cremation of a doctor who was raped and murdered at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The doctor’s body was found on August 9, 2024.
Her family complained that the body was taken to a crematorium unusually quickly.
They believe this may have made another examination of the body impossible.
Two other people, Nirmal Ghosh and Sanjeev Mukherjee, were arrested earlier.
Dey will be taken to court so investigators can ask to question him.
West Bengal Police arrested former Panihati Municipality chairman Somnath Dey in Bengaluru over the alleged hurried cremation of the R.G. Kar victim’s body.
Dey was named with former Trinamool Congress legislator Nirmal Ghosh and Sanjeev Mukherjee in a fresh FIR filed by the victim’s father.
Police allege the body was cremated quickly after the August 9, 2024, post-mortem, potentially preventing a second post-mortem.
Dey allegedly signed the cremation requisition, while police said Ghosh and Mukherjee were involved in the cremation process.
Dey is expected to be brought to Kolkata on transit remand and produced before the Barrackpore court, where police will seek custody.
- Who
- Somnath Dey, former chairman of Panihati Municipality, was arrested; Nirmal Ghosh and Sanjeev Mukherjee were named as co-accused.
- What
- Dey was arrested in a case concerning the alleged hurried cremation of the R.G. Kar rape-murder victim’s body.
- When
- Dey was arrested on Thursday after allegedly remaining absconding for more than a month; the victim’s body was found on August 9, 2024.
- Where
- Dey was arrested in Bengaluru, Karnataka, and is expected to be produced before the Barrackpore court in West Bengal.
- Why
- Police and the victim’s family allege that the rushed cremation breached procedures and may have prevented a second post-mortem.
- Arrested
- Somnath Dey, former chairman of Panihati Municipality
- Arrest location
- Bengaluru, Karnataka
- Case
- Alleged conspiracy involving the hurried cremation of the R.G. Kar victim’s body
- Fresh FIR
- Filed at Khardah Police Station following a complaint by the victim’s father
- Co-accused
- Former Trinamool Congress legislator Nirmal Ghosh and Sanjeev Mukherjee
- Next court step
- Dey is expected to be produced before the Barrackpore court after being brought to Kolkata on transit remand
- Cremation detail
- Police said Dey was the signatory on the cremation requisition
Sources
RG Kar case: Panihati municipality ex-chairman Somnath Dey arrested for ‘hasty cremation’ of victim’s body
RG Kar cremation case: Panihati ex-chairman arrested from Bengaluru
RG Kar rape-murder case: Absconding ex-chief of Panihati Municipality arrested
