Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud on Monday asked Advocate Kaustav Bagchi to lower his voice during the hearing of the Kolkata doctor’s rape and murder case. The CJI questioned whether Bagchi was addressing the court or trying to engage the audience watching the proceedings.
The three-judge bench, also comprising Justice Manoj Misra and Justice JB Pardiwala, was hearing the case that has captured nationwide attention.
During the arguments, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal accused Kaustav Bagchi of participating in a protest related to the August 9 incident at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, alleging that the lawyer had been seen throwing stones. “I have videos and photographs to show that the lawyer was throwing stones at a protest,” Sibal stated.
Kaustav Bagchi, a BJP leader who switched from Congress earlier this year, refuted the allegation and questioned how such a statement could be made in court by a senior counsel.
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The Chief Justice interjected, saying, “Are you trying to address the gallery outside the court? I have been noticing your demeanor for the last two hours.” CJI Chandrachud then advised Bagchi to lower his voice, emphasizing that he was addressing three judges, not a large audience watching through the video conferencing platform. Kaustav Bagchi later apologized to the bench for his conduct.
TMC Criticism and Courtroom Decorum
Following the exchange, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) criticized Bagchi’s behavior. A spokesperson for the TMC tweeted, “What else can we expect from a loudmouth half-time advocate, full-time BJP karyakarta @koustavcp who thinks courtroom decorum can be bulldozed like everything else under their rule?” The party also praised the Chief Justice for reprimanding Bagchi.
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As the hearing continued, multiple lawyers began raising issues, prompting the CJI to comment, “I am not used to this kind of advocacy where 7-8 people are arguing at the same time,” signaling the need for order in the courtroom.
Supreme Court Asks CBI for Fresh Report
The Supreme Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a fresh report next Tuesday regarding the case. The central agency flagged issues with the forensic report, particularly focusing on the question of who collected the samples at the crime scene.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, informed the court that samples collected from the crime scene had been sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in West Bengal, but the CBI had now decided to forward the samples to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi for further analysis.
“We have forensic examination report and one thing is admitted: when the girl was found at 9:30 am, her jeans and undergarments were removed and lying nearby… semi-nude and injury marks also on the body… They have taken samples and sent them to CFSL in West Bengal. CBI has taken a decision to send the sample to AIIMS,” Mehta said.
Without revealing specific findings, Mehta added, “Person enters, girl is nude and this is the result of FSL. So who took the sample is relevant.”
