The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will submit a progress report on the investigation into the gruesome rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in the Supreme Court Today (Aug 22). A bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud and comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Mishra heard the case on Tuesday (August 20) after taking up the matter on its own. The brutal rape and murder of the 31-year-old postgraduate doctor has sparked nationwide outrage and protests.
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NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is set to submit a progress report today to the Supreme Court on the ongoing investigation into the horrific rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
This case, which has garnered national outrage and widespread protests, has become a focal point for discussions on the safety and protection of medical professionals across India.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Mishra, took up the case on its own and conducted a hearing on Tuesday, August 20. The brutal rape and murder of the 31-year-old postgraduate doctor have left the nation in shock, triggering demands for swift justice and accountability.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court criticized the Bengal government for its handling of the case, pointing out various lapses. The court also expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s inability to prevent vandalism at the state-run medical college and hospital.
In addition to the CBI’s report, the Bengal government is also expected to file a status report today on the progress of the investigation into the acts of vandalism that occurred at the hospital.
The Calcutta High Court had previously transferred the investigation of the rape-murder case to the CBI on August 13, citing “serious lapses” by the RG Kar hospital administration.
What the Supreme Court Said in the Earlier Hearing
In the hearing on Tuesday, the Supreme Court was particularly critical of the Bengal government-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, specifically their handling of the rape-murder case. The bench reproached the hospital authorities and the former principal of the hospital, Dr. Sandip Ghosh, for the significant delay in registering a First Information Report (FIR), questioning why it was done “several hours after cremation.”
The court further condemned the actions of the hospital authorities, noting that the victim’s parents were made to wait “for three hours before they could see her body.”
Chief Justice Chandrachud expressed grave concern over the circulation of the victim’s name and photographs in the media, emphasizing that “the safety of women doctors is a matter of national interest” and that “there is no principle of equality without the same.”
Moreover, the Supreme Court criticized the Bengal government for appointing Dr. Ghosh as the principal of another prominent state-run medical college and hospital shortly after he resigned as the head of RG Kar hospital. This decision was met with strong disapproval from the bench.
In light of these concerns, the court has established a ten-member National Task Force (NTF) to recommend measures for ensuring safe working conditions for healthcare professionals.
Doctors’ Bodies Move Supreme Court
The Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA) has approached the Supreme Court, seeking interim protection for doctors until the recommendations of the National Task Force are implemented. Their petition highlighted the urgent need for security measures, stating,
“Doctors, especially women doctors, are scared after this horrific incident. Their families are not allowing them to do night duty, so security is necessary.”
The petition further suggested that interim measures could include-
“CCTV surveillance in all sensitive regions of a medical college or hospital (entry and exit gates, corridors, and hostel).”
In addition to FAIMA, the National Federation of Resident Doctors of AIIMS has also submitted an intervention application to the Supreme Court. This application underscores the concerns of resident doctors across all AIIMS institutions in the country, and like FAIMA, calls for interim measures to be put in place until the NTF’s recommendations are fully implemented.
The Supreme Court’s actions and the responses from medical associations underscore the gravity of the situation and the urgent need for reforms to ensure the safety of healthcare workers, particularly women, in medical institutions across the country.
PREVIOUSLY IN APEX COURT
The Supreme Court on Tuesday (Aug 20th) made a heartfelt appeal to doctors across the country who are protesting in response to the alleged rape and murder of a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, urging them to call off their strike and return to work.
“Please trust us”
-the Court emphasized, addressing the protesting medical professionals directly.
The Court highlighted the significant impact of the doctors’ absence on vulnerable segments of society who are in dire need of medical care.
“We earnestly appeal to all the doctors that we are here to ensure that their safety and protection is the matter of highest national concern. Please trust us, that is why we have not left the matter to the high court.”
Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, leading a three-judge bench, explained that the Supreme Court had taken up the matter because it was not just a case of a grave offense but one that had far-reaching implications for the healthcare system across India.
“We felt this is not just a matter of a serious offence but which affects the institution of healthcare pan India. Therefore, the need for the Supreme Court to take up the matter,”
-CJI Chandrachud said.
The Supreme Court’s hearing was in relation to a suo motu case concerning the tragic incident at RG Kar Medical College, which has sparked widespread protests among the medical community nationwide.
The Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) responded positively to the Supreme Court’s intervention, stating that it would serve the interests of the medical fraternity. The apex court, recognizing the importance of the ongoing protest, made a further appeal:
“Since this court is seized of the matter pertaining to safety and well-being of all medical professionals at workplaces, we would request all the doctors abstaining from work across the country to resume work at the earliest.”
The bench reiterated that the doctors’ strike was adversely affecting those who needed medical care the most and reassured the medical professionals that their concerns were being addressed with the utmost seriousness.
“The doctors and medical professionals shall stand assured that their concerns are receiving the highest concern from the highest court from a diverse range of counsels,”
-the bench noted, underscoring the Court’s commitment to resolving the issue in a manner that ensures the safety and well-being of medical professionals across the country.
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