The Supreme Court, taking a serious view of the Kolkata trainee doctor’s rape and murder case, said it is setting up a ‘National Task Force’ to suggest measures for doctors’ safety.
Hearing the suo motu case, a bench of Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra expressed concern over the safety of doctors and said a national protocol must be evolved to ensure safe work conditions for them. “If women are not able to go to work and conditions are not safe, we are denying them equality,” Live Law reported quoting CJI. The bench also expressed concern over the publication of photographs and videos of the victim by certain media.
The bench directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to submit a status report on the probe by Thursday.
The bench questioned the delay in registering an FIR in the case and asked why the principal of RG Kar Medical College Hospital did not register a complaint with the police soon after the incident. The bench also took note of vandalism at the hospital and said they are unable to comprehend why the state could not prevent the attacks.
Taking note of the recent attack on medical professionals CJI observed that medical professions have become vulnerable to violence. "Protecting the safety of doctors and women doctors is a matter of national interest and the principle of equality does not demand anything less," the bench said.
Setting up a 10-member National Task Force led by Surgeon Vice Admiral R.K. Sarian, the Supreme Court directed the panel to formulate actionable protocols for preventing violence against medical professionals and for ensuring better working conditions for them. The cabinet, health and home secretaries are ex-officio members of the panel.
The Court asked the NTF to submit an interim report after three weeks and the final report within two months. The apex court will next hear the case on August 23.
