Kolkata: One year after their daughter was raped and murdered inside Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the grieving parents of the 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor say they have lost faith in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and accuse it of shielding the guilty under political pressure.

“When we questioned them about the investigation, they got annoyed and said they would withdraw from the case,” the victim’s father told reporters on Friday. “I told them to say that in court instead of to me. They had no answers to our questions.”

The case, initially handled by Kolkata Police, was transferred to the CBI last year. But after twelve months, the family says they see “no progress” and believe corruption, financial dealings, and political influence have derailed the probe.

“An organisation representing 140 crore people is saying they will drop the case after a year,” the father said, calling for the agency to be disbanded if it cannot deliver justice despite “receiving crores in funding.”

The family’s anger has only grown in recent weeks. The victim’s mother, in an act of protest, returned her Nari Shakti Award given by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. “I told her I will accept this award the day my daughter gets justice,” she said, her voice breaking.

“The CBI will not do anything; we will have to protest on the streets,” she added. She believes her daughter’s refusal to pay bribes and her determination to succeed on merit — aiming for a gold medal — made her a target. “That challenge she took has now become my biggest regret.”

The family plans to join a torchlight march by West Bengal junior doctors in Shyambazar on Friday evening and participate in a “Nabanna campaign” protest on Saturday. They also intend to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah to push for accountability.

“Our fight will continue in court,” the mother said firmly. “If we didn’t have evidence against the CBI, I would not speak like this. We are trying to collect that evidence. This is no longer just our daughter’s fight — this is for every daughter in this country.”