Kolkata, Sep 15 (IANS): A special court here on Sunday granted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) three-day custody of former R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital principal Sandip Ghosh, and ex-station house officer (SHO) of Tala Police Station, Abhijit Mondal -- arrested in connection with the ghastly rape and murder of a junior doctor last month.

The court accepted the CBI counsel's submission that even as Mondal did not have a "direct role" in the rape and murder case, he had been accused of tampering with evidence and delaying the initial investigation process while Kolkata Police were handling the rape-murder case.

The case was later handed over to the central probe agency on the orders of the Calcutta High Court.

On Sunday, the CBI counsel said that the investigating officers got definite clues about the telephonic conversation between Ghosh and Mondal on the morning of August 9 when the body of the junior doctor was recovered from the seminar hall located on the premises of R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital.

The counsel argued that the matter of conversation between Ghosh and Mondal on that morning needs an in-depth investigation and hence there is a need to take them in custody for further questioning in the matter.

The CBI counsel also highlighted certain examples of lackadaisical investigation by the Kolkata Police while they were handling the initial phase of the probe.

According to him, the death was initially described as a suicide to the victim's parents. Besides, the process of the seizure of items as exhibits in the case started late.

Eventually, the special court judge accepted the arguments of the CBI counsel and remanded Ghosh and Mondal to CBI custody for three days.

On Saturday night, the CBI arrested Mondal after seven hours of questioning.

Ghosh, who was earlier arrested by the CBI in the case of financial irregularities at the institution. He is currently serving judicial custody.

Ghosh was also shown as "arrested" in the rape and murder case on Saturday night.