Kolkata, Sep 13 (IANS): The Kolkata Police on Friday initiated a probe against assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Anup Dutta, who is known to be close to Sanjay Roy, the sole accused arrested so far in connection with the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata last month.

Roy, a civic volunteer posted at the police outpost of the hospital, was arrested on the basis of CCTV footage and a bluetooth device found near the junior doctor's body. He was reportedly seen entering the seminar hall where the victim's body was found on the morning of August 9.

Roy was initially arrested by the Kolkata Police, but was later handed over to the CBI after the Calcutta High Court directed the central agency to take over the investigation from the city police.

Police sources said the probe against Dutta has been initiated after several allegations surfaced pointing at how his influence and patronage helped Roy enjoy certain facilities meant exclusively for regular cops on payroll, and not for a civic volunteer, which is a contractual appointment.

It has been alleged that Roy managed to stay at the police barrack in North Kolkata, allotted exclusively to lower-rank policemen on regular payroll, because of Dutta's influence as a member of the city police’s welfare committee.

Secondly, the sources said, the motorcycle on which Roy used to move around was allotted to Dutta by the Kolkata Police. As per police manual, a civic volunteer being a contractual staff is not entitled for motorcycle allotment.

The sources said the allegations, if proved, will lead to strict disciplinary action against Dutta on grounds of violation of department rules.

Dutta has already been questioned a couple of times by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which is conducting the probe into the R.G. Kar rape and murder case. He had also undergone a polygraph test.

While the local media had earlier reported that Roy has admitted to the crime, many people expressed apprehension that the rape and murder couldn’t have been the handiwork of a single person.