After a two-day delay in the hearing on the tragic rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, as well as alleged financial irregularities at the institution, the Supreme Court of India directed the CBI to continue its investigation on Thursday.
The central agency presented its sixth status report before a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud. The apex court bench, also involving Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Mishra, asked the CBI to submit the seventh status report at the next hearing in four weeks.
Noting that on the basis of CBI’s chargesheet, the Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) at the Sealdah Civil & Criminal Court in Kolkata has framed charges against the primary accused in the rape and murder, Sanjay Roy, the Supreme Court refrained from making any observation.
The West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front (WBJDF), which has been leading the protests by doctors since the August 9 incident, expressed disappointment after the hearing and said that the court has not yet been able to discover the motive of the incident and how many people were involved in it.
“It is becoming extremely difficult for us to keep our faith in the judiciary. Why can’t the court tell us what actually happened on August 9 and what was the motive behind it,” said WBJDF’s Dr. Aniket Mahato. “We are still hopeful that the Supreme Court will give Abhaya her justice.”
During the hearing, one of the advocates claimed that people of West Bengal were losing their faith in the judicial process. In response, Chief Justice Chandrachud dismissed this claim, calling it "canteen gossip.
Additionally, advocate Phiroze Edulji, representing one of the petitioners, argued during the hearing that despite 90 days passing since the tragic incident, there has been no substantial progress in the investigation.
Highlighting that the CBI is continuing its investigation into the financial irregularities at RG Kar and all other aspects related to the case, the CJI Chandrachud-led bench stated that the Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) has sufficient authority to order further investigation if warranted by the evidence.
The court also dismissed a request to transfer the trial outside of West Bengal.
Meanwhile, the National Task Force (NTF), established by the top court to develop strategies and recommendations accordingly for improving the safety and security of medical professionals nationwide, submitted an interim report.
The NTF proposed measures to prevent sexual and physical violence against medical professionals and to create a safer working environment. It emphasised that all medical institutions across states and union territories should implement these recommended measures.
The West Bengal government has reportedly submitted an affidavit outlining the steps it has taken to improve the safety and security of medical professionals in state government-run hospitals and institutions and the process it followed to hire civic volunteers in the state’s police force. However, the court did not address this matter, and it is expected to be discussed in the next hearing.