Amid the hearing concerning the rape and murder of a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the Supreme Court emphasized the importance of giving the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sufficient time to conduct a thorough investigation.
The bench, consisting of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra, reviewed the CBI’s status report and opted for confidentiality to prevent disrupting the investigation. Here are 10 key updates from the ongoing case:
Supreme Court’s Stance: Chief Justice Chandrachud, along with Justices Pardiwala and Misra, reviewed the CBI’s status report. They warned against rushing the CBI to file a chargesheet, highlighting that both the college principal and the Station House Officer (SHO) have already been arrested. “We have seen the status report,” the Chief Justice said.
Status of CBI’s Investigation: The CBI addressed the Supreme Court’s earlier questions, including those regarding a missing challan. The agency is currently investigating whether the crime scene was compromised or evidence tampered with. The court stressed that the CBI should be granted sufficient time to uncover the truth, assuring that the agency is actively pursuing leads.
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Victim’s Family Suggestions: The victim’s father provided suggestions to aid the investigation. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, assured the court that the agency would share updates with the victim’s family, acknowledging their right to know the progress of the case.
Disturbing Revelations: During the hearing, a lawyer raised concerns about how the victim’s body was processed for post-mortem. The bench responded that the details revealed by the CBI were even more disturbing than initially thought, underscoring the gravity of the case.
Circulation of Victim’s Photographs: The Supreme Court noted that photographs of the victim continue to circulate on social media, which is prohibited by law. The court ordered these images to be removed and directed Wikipedia to delete any information revealing the victim’s identity.
CCTV Footage Discrepancy: The CBI reported receiving only 27 minutes of CCTV footage from Kolkata Police. This was contested in court, with arguments that 7-8 hours of footage had been shared. The police maintained, “We have given whatever we had.”
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Junior Doctors’ Protest: The court’s proceedings took place hours after a significant win for the junior doctors protesting against the August 9 incident. The protests also highlighted financial irregularities in the West Bengal health services.
Government’s Response to Protests: Following discussions with the protesting doctors, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee agreed to many of their demands. This included the resignation of Kolkata Police Chief Vineet Goyal and the removal of Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Abhishek Gupta, along with two senior health department officials.
Doctors’ Agitation: The protesting doctors termed the government’s acceptance of their demands a major victory. However, they stated they would resume their duties only when the government follows through on its assurances.
The Incident: The postgraduate trainee doctor was found dead on August 9 in the seminar room of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Medical examination confirmed the rape, and Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer at the hospital, was arrested for the crime. The incident has sparked nationwide outrage and ongoing protests.
