'Diabolic dinner conspiracy' in Chandan Sen murder case

KOLKATA: When Sunil Ganguly, the host at a dinner party, broke the news that their guest Dr Chandan Sen was missing, fellow doctor Arundhati Khanra had apparently said, “Chandan is finished�. Later that evening Sen’s body was discovered in a nearby pond.
On Wednesday, while opposing the bail of Arundhati, one of the accused in the Sen murder case, this statement was cited as crucial evidence.Additional public prosecutor Ashimesh Goswami and advocate K.J. Ahmed reconstructed the events on the night of February 22, 2003, in their submission before Calcutta high court.
The court later turned down the bail prayer after the state termed the murder as “artful� and described the incident as a “diabolic dinner conspiracy� to murder Sen, a popular surgeon at Ranaghat Sadar Hospital.
On February 22, Sen had attended the dinner at the residence of Ganguly, a former employee of the hospital. Later that night Sen was found dead in a nearby pond. The post-mortem report revealed that he had been strangulated. Arundhati and her husband Subhoranjan were arrested on March 12. Both attended the February 22 party.
Describing the incident, the counsel for the state said around 10 pm Arundhati started singing, keeping the guests spellbound. At about the same time, the host directed Apurba Sanyal, the welfare officer of the hospital, to keep the door of the room shut so that no one could enter from outside.
Around the same time, Ganguly’s son Gautam also left the house on his bike. Soon after Ganguly “discovered� that Sen was missing.
The counsel said after Sen’s body was recovered from a pond, it was shifted to the hospital where the attending doctor reportedly said it looked like a planned murder.
As many as 15 injuries were found on Sen’s body. The postmortem said Sen was suffocated and strangulated.
Earlier, the lawyers representing Arundhati said she had been languishing in jail for 54 days and she should be released immediately.