A CORRESPONDENT
JORHAT: The prime accused in the Jorhat doctor and COVID-19 warrior murder case was allowed to go on bail by a local court at Jorhat on Tuesday. The court passed an order to release the accused on accepting a bail bond of Rs 40,000 with two sureties of like amount for the satisfaction of the court.
A doctor working at Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH) on COVID-19 duty was found dead in his rented house situated at Chandan Nagar in the town this year on September 5. His throat was found hacked by a sharp weapon when police entered into his room on receiving information from the landlord in the morning. A motor cycle, a camera and a mobile phone of the deceased were also found missing from his rented house.
The deceased was identified as Rahul Bosumotari of Udalguri district who was studying in Jorhat Homeopathic College and was engaged in COVID-19 duty at JMCH. Later the elder brother of the deceased lodged a complaint at Jorhat police station and police registered a case under section 302 (Punishment for murder) and 392 (Punishment for robbery) of the Indian Penal Code and launched investigation. Police arrested the accused a day after the incident on September 7 and produced him before a local court that sent him to two days police remand. Police again produced the accused before the court on September 9 and the court sent him for judicial custody. The accused was being kept behind bars for 90 days till Tuesday.
The Chief Judicial Magistrate at Jorhat, Farhana Sultana granted bail to the accused on completion of mandatory period for the offences of 90 days as the investigating officer of the case failed to file charge sheet against the accused person within the period specified by law.
Advocate appearing for the accused, Anup Kumar Dutta said, "The accused has been released on bail due to the failure of police to submit charge sheet against the accused within the mandatory period of 90 days."
The State had witnessed widespread protests from various quarters, including several doctors' organizations, demanding exemplary punishment for the accused. People in the native place of the deceased in Udalguri district had taken out protest rallies demanding immediate punishment for the accused.