Justice Debangshu Basak of the Calcutta High Court has recused himself from hearing the high-profile RG Kar rape-murder case. The matter will now be reassigned, with a new division bench to continue proceedings.
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KOLKATA: In a development in the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case, Justice Debangshu Basak, who was leading a division bench of the Calcutta High Court, has recused himself from hearing the matter. The reason behind his recusal has not been made public yet.
Following Justice Basak’s decision, the case will now be referred to Acting Chief Justice Sujay Paul, who will assign a new division bench to hear the case.
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Background of the Case
The case involves the rape and murder of a woman junior doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata in August 2024. The incident, which occurred within the hospital premises, triggered widespread outrage across West Bengal and beyond.
The victim’s parents initially approached the Calcutta High Court’s single-judge bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, seeking a fresh probe into the case. They expressed dissatisfaction with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which identified civic volunteer Sanjay Roy as the sole accused.
According to the victim’s family, the crime was not an isolated act but part of a larger conspiracy involving influential individuals
Earlier this year, Justice Ghosh also recused himself from hearing the case. Subsequently, the victim’s parents moved a division bench comprising Justice Debangshu Basak and Justice Md. Shabbar Rashidi. However, with Justice Basak’s recusal on Thursday, the matter faces another procedural delay.
CBI’s Stand and Supreme Court Proceedings
The CBI, which took over the investigation from the Kolkata Police, charged Sanjay Roy, a former civic volunteer, with rape and murder. The trial court in Kolkata found him guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
However, the CBI has challenged the trial court’s order in the Calcutta High Court, seeking a death sentence for the accused.
Meanwhile, the matter is also being heard in the Supreme Court of India, where various petitions related to the investigation and the CBI’s role are pending.
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