New Delhi:

The Supreme Court will today hear the case related to the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra will oversee the proceedings.

On Sunday night, thousands gathered in Kolkata and across the globe, demanding justice for the victim. These demonstrations were part of a larger wave of protests, organised under the banner of “Reclaim the Night,” a movement calling for safety and justice for women in public spaces.

Supreme Court’s Earlier Hearing

The Supreme Court on August 20 termed the incident “horrific” and took additional measures to address safety concerns within the healthcare sector. The court issued several directives, including the formation of a 10-member National Task Force to develop protocols for ensuring the safety of doctors and healthcare workers across the country.

The court called upon protesting doctors who had been striking in solidarity with the victim to return to work, stating that “justice and medicine cannot be stopped.” 

The case initially faced delays, with the Supreme Court, during its hearing on August 22, criticising the Kolkata Police for their sluggish handling of the investigation. It was not until August 13 that the Calcutta High Court intervened, transferring the investigation from the Kolkata Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The CBI began its probe the following day, August 14.

The victim’s body was discovered in a seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College on August 9, bearing severe injuries. A civic volunteer was arrested the next day in connection with the crime, but the investigation has since widened, resulting in the arrest of the college’s former principal as well.

Protests Worldwide 

From the streets of Kolkata to the cities of Europe, Asia, and the United States, the global Indian community rallied for justice Sunday night. Over 130 protests took place in 25 countries, including major cities like Stockholm, Sydney, and New York. Protesters – many clad in black -held vigils, sang in Bengali, and chanted slogans in solidarity with the victim.

The streets of Kolkata were transformed into protest sites as men and women, young and old, took to the streets to demand justice. From forming human chains to holding burning torches, protesters expressed their anger and sorrow for the victim, who they symbolically named “Tilottama” or “Abhaya.” 

“Whenever I think about the torment, the pain experienced by my daughter on that night, I shudder. She had dreams to serve society. Now, all these protesters are my children,” the victim’s mother said at a rally in Kolkata, as quoted by news agency PTI.

A 14-kilometre-long human chain stretching from Shyambazar in North Kolkata to the suburb of Sodepur was also organised. Thousands of citizens, including rival football fans from East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, and Mohammedan Sporting, stood shoulder to shoulder, united in their call for justice.

Centre vs State 

Amid the protests, a political clash has emerged between the Centre and the West Bengal government, with the former accusing the state of “unpardonable” non-cooperation in extending logistical support to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which was tasked with providing security at RG Kar Medical College. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs, in its application to the Supreme Court, has called the lack of cooperation from the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) government “symptomatic of a systemic malaise.”

The Centre has urged the top court to direct the West Bengal government to fully cooperate with the CISF, failing which it has requested contempt proceedings against the officials responsible for non-compliance
 

New Delhi:

The Supreme Court, hearing the Kolkata rape-murder incident today, said the nation cannot wait for another rape for changes on the ground. The CJI DY Chandrachud-led bench also expressed strong dissatisfaction with the West Bengal government and the authorities at the hospital over the delay in filing the FIR and other procedural lapses in handling the case.

“Medical professions have become vulnerable to violence. Due to ingrained patriarchal biases, women doctors are targeted more. As more and more women join the workforce, the nation cannot wait for another rape for things to change on the ground,” CJI Chandrachud noted. 

During the hearing, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud raised several pressing questions regarding the actions of the hospital’s administration and the local police.

“Why was FIR registered three hours after the body was handed over for cremation,” the Supreme Court bench asked. 

The Supreme Court has taken up the investigation into the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old post-graduate trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. The incident has triggered widespread protests across the country and raised questions over women’s safety, particularly in medical colleges.

The three-judge bench is led by CJI Chandrachud and comprises Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra. 

“What was the principal doing? FIR was not filed; the body was handed late to the parents. What is the police doing? A serious offence has taken place, the crime scene is in a hospital… What are they doing? Allowing vandals to enter the hospital?” CJI Chandrachud asked. 

In response to the bench’s questions, Mr Sibal countered that people at the hospital had taken photos, a case of unnatural death was immediately started, and a board was set up with a judicial magistrate present. However, CJI Chandrachud said that it was the hospital’s duty to file the FIR, especially in the absence of the victim’s parents.

Justice Pardiwala questioned the timeline of the FIR, asking, “Who is the first informant who filed the FIR? What is the time of the FIR?” Kapil Sibal, representing the West Bengal government, responded that the first informant was the father of the victim, who filed the FIR at 11:45 pm, followed by the Vice Principal of the hospital.

The CJI Chandrachud questioned the time at which the victim’s body was handed over for cremation, which was reportedly at 8:30 pm, and pointed out that the FIR was filed three hours later. The autopsy, conducted between 1:45 pm and 4:00 pm, revealed that the doctor had been murdered, yet the FIR was registered much later. “What was the principal, and the hospital board, doing during this time?” asked CJI Chandrachud.

Sandip Ghosh, who resigned as the principal of RG Kar Medical College just two days after the incident, has been under scrutiny by the CBI and questioned for nearly 53 hours over the past four days regarding his actions following the doctor’s death. 

The Chief Justice also noted that after the principal’s resignation, he was reassigned as principal in another college. 

The Calcutta High Court instructed the West Bengal Health Department not to appoint Mr Ghosh to any other medical college until further notice. This order followed his brief and contentious appointment as the principal of Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital, which was met with protests from students and junior doctors.

New Delhi:
The brutal murder and rape case of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, which has sent shockwaves across the country, has reached the Supreme Court. A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud is currently hearing the matter.

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