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The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to halt the live streaming of proceedings in the suo motu case regarding the rape and murder of a postgraduate medical student at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata. The top court asserted that the case holds significant public interest and that the public deserves to be informed of courtroom developments.
The bench, led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, reviewed a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) report and expressed concerns that revealing certain details could hinder the ongoing investigation. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the West Bengal government, had earlier urged the court to stop the live streaming, citing threats of acid attacks and rape faced by female lawyers involved in the case. The court reassured Sibal that it would intervene if any threats materialised.
Kolkata rape case: Case background and investigation
The case began after the victim’s body, bearing severe injuries, was discovered on August 9. The following day, a civic volunteer was arrested by the Kolkata Police in connection with the incident. The investigation was transferred from the Kolkata Police to the CBI by the Calcutta High Court on August 13, and the CBI commenced its inquiry on August 14.
During earlier hearings, the Supreme Court criticised the Kolkata Police for the delay in registering a case concerning the unnatural death of the doctor, describing the events as ‘extremely disturbing’. The court also questioned the police’s procedural handling of the case, particularly the absence of a ‘challan’ (a document forwarding the victim’s body for post-mortem).
On September 9, the court voiced further concerns over the state of the investigation and asked the West Bengal government for a detailed report. The ongoing case has sparked nationwide protests and led to significant unrest among junior doctors in the state.
Doctor protests and govt response
Doctors across West Bengal have been protesting for over 38 days, with a ‘cease work’ agitation severely affecting healthcare services at government-run hospitals. Junior doctors at RG Kar Medical College, where the incident occurred, have been leading these protests, demanding justice for the victim and enhanced security measures for healthcare professionals.
On Monday night, after several failed attempts to engage in dialogue, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee met with the agitating doctors. Banerjee announced the transfer of key officials from the Kolkata Police and the state health department, including Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal. Additionally, the Chief Minister ordered the removal of senior health officials, including the director of medical education and the director of health services, for their alleged mishandling of the case.
The minutes of this meeting, signed by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and a delegation of 42 doctors, also documented the government’s decision to sanction Rs 100 crore for the improvement of hospital infrastructure and safety measures for medical professionals. The minutes outlined the formation of a special task force to oversee hospital security, as well as the establishment of a grievance redressal system for healthcare workers.
Despite this, doctors at RG Kar Medical College have expressed cautious optimism. While they acknowledged a ‘partial success’ following their meeting with Banerjee, they indicated that they would continue their protest until they witnessed concrete changes on the ground. They also remained concerned about the future postings of the transferred officials, suggesting that these assignments could influence their decision on whether to call off the protest.
Junior doctors’ protests continue
As the protests continued into Tuesday, junior doctors maintained their sit-in at the Swasthya Bhawan, the West Bengal health department’s headquarters. While they await the results of the Supreme Court hearing and further government action, they stressed that their ultimate goal is to ensure justice for their slain colleague and to see meaningful reforms in the state’s healthcare system.
The Supreme Court has constituted a 10-member National Task Force to develop a protocol for the protection of doctors and healthcare workers. The court, which has termed the case “horrific”, also sharply criticised the West Bengal government for its delay in filing a first information report (FIR) and the mismanagement of public unrest at RG Kar Medical College, where thousands of protesters had vandalised the facility.
(With agency inputs)
First Published: Sep 17 2024 | 12:28 PM IST
