Earlier, on August 22, the Supreme Court had tore into the Kolkata Police over the delay in registering a case of unnatural death in the Kolkata rape and murder case.
Kolkata Rape and Murder Case: The Supreme Court Monday directed the CBI to submit a fresh status report by September 17 on its probe in brutal rape and murder case of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
“A status report has been filed by CBI, it appears that investigation is in progress, we direct the CBI to file fresh status report…We don’t want to guide the CBI on its investigation,” a three-judge apex court bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said after perusing the CBI report filed in a sealed cover by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI.
Mehta informed the the bench also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra that the probe agency has decided to send forensic samples to AIIMS for further investigation.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court also directed a senior officer of the West Bengal government’s Home department and a senior CISF officer to ensure all three companies of the CISF, which are deputed for security at the RG Kar Hospital, are given accommodation. The bench also directed that all requisition, security gadgets needed by the CISF should be handed over to the force today.
SC asks doctors to resume work
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the West Bengal government, told the apex court bench that 23 people have died as doctors are on strike protesting the rape and murder of the postgraduate medic.
“A status report has been filed. The state health department has filed a report. Twenty-three people have died as doctors are on strike,” Sibal informed the top court.
Later, the apex court directed the protesting medics to resume work by 5 pm on Tuesday, assuring them that no adverse action shall be taken against them on resumption of duties. The SC’s directions came after the its was assured by the West Bengal government that no action, including punitive transfers, shall be taken against the protesting doctors when they return to work.
SC rips into Kolkata Police
Earlier, on August 22, the apex court had tore into the Kolkata Police over the delay in registering the unnatural death of the woman doctor, who was raped and killed at the RG Kar Hospital, calling it “extremely disturbing”, and questioned the sequence of events and the timing of its procedural formalities.
The top court had also constituted a 10-member National Task Force (NTF) to formulate a protocol for ensuring the safety and security of doctors and other health care professionals.
Terming the incident as “horrific”, the apex court had excoriated the state government over the delay in filing the FIR and allowing thousands of people to vandalise the state-run facility.
Kolkata doctor rape and murder
Last month, on the morning of August 9, a 31-year-old trainee doctor was found raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in West Bengal capital Kolkata, triggering mass outrage and widespread protests across the country.
The medic’s body was found in a bloodied state in the hospital’s seminar room, leading to the arrest of the accused, Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer, who was an outsider frequenting the hospital premises.
The ghastly nature of the crime sparked protests nationwide protests from medics across the country, which brought medical services to a grinding halt for days as hundreds of doctors went on strike under different banners demanding safety of medics through a central law.
On August 13, the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the probe from the Kolkata Police to the CBI, which started its investigation on August 14.
Last week, the CBI arrested the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Dr Sandip Ghosh, in connection with alleged financial misconduct at the establishment.
(With PTI inputs)