The Supreme Court on Tuesday slammed the West Bengal government over the handling of the "horrific and horrendous" August 9 Kolkata rape and murder of PG trainee doctor, and subsequent attack on the hospital as it set up a 9-member National Task Force under its authority, to suggest measures for protection of medical fraternity.
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The West Bengal government on Wednesday removed three senior officials of the R G Kar hospital, bowing to the demand of junior doctors who have been protesting against the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee in the state-run health facility.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) detectives on Wednesday conducted technical tests on the vehicle used by the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Dr Sandip Ghosh, in connection with their probe into the alleged rape and murder of a woman doctor inside the medical establishment, an officer said.
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On August 9, a 31-year-old post-graduate student was found raped and murdered at Kolkata's RG Kar hospital, igniting nationwide protests in the days to come. The incident has also put a spotlight on the unnatural deaths the state government-run institute has seen in its 138-year history.
The top court had directed that CBI submit a status report in the probe into the R G Kar doctor's rape and murder, after taking over the case from the Kolkata police.
The court had instructed the Kolkata police to submit the report in the probe into the vandalism at R G Kar that came after the death of the doctor.
The court today, will resume hearing the matter -- which has been placed before a Bench of CJI DY Chandrachud with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.
CJI Chandrachud said that he too 'had slept' on the floor of a public hospital, assuring that the court was aware of doctors' long work hours, and that they work 36 hours.
SC asks protesting doctors to first return to work, assures counsel for AIIMS Nagpur there will be no adverse action once they rejoin (PTI)
S G Mehta says that FIR was registered at 11:45 after the cremation of the body and videography was done after the senior doctors and colleagues of the victim insisted for it and which means they also suspected something (ANI)
The Bench asked him about the delay in registering the case as an 'unnatural death'.
While the Bench said the report notes unnatural death was registered around 11:30 pm at night, while Sibal argued that unnatural death was registered at 1:30 pm as per his records. The Bench then asked how the two records could be reconciled, and instructed Sibal that a 'responsible statement' must be made in the matter.
SC terms as 'extremely disturbing' delay by Kolkata Police in registering unnatural death in its records (PTI)
'Her conduct is very very doubtful,' Bench observes.
Justice JB Pardiwala remarks that the entire procedure followed by the WB state is something which he has not come across...
Justice Pardiwala further raises doubt on the conduct of the assistant superintendent of police and asks why did she act in this manner. (ANI)
CJI Chandrachud says we have seen the CD, we can form the view of the movements of the police officers, when the body was seen, when the police came, unnatural death report, post mortem report, cremation and then FIR. It matches with the FIR also now. (ANI)
One of the counsel mentioned some facts related to the post-mortem over some gms of semen. On this, CJI D Y Chandrachud said not to use social media to make submissions in the court as they have the post-mortem report before it. 'Don't read what is there on the social media', he said.
Citing an India Today report where the publication spoke to CBI sources, Das said that Sanjoy Roy is the 'lone culprit' in the case and slammed BJP and CPI(M) for alleging gangrape
TMC MP Sagarika Ghose claimed that the ball was now in CBI's court after the Kolkata police was able to provide a 'MINUTE BY MINUTE timeline to the Supreme Court which the court ACCEPTS because it answers ALL the court’s questions on what happened on the fateful day.'
Sibal was making a point that procedures for conducting protests have to be followed.
He urged doctors to return to work and said that once they return to work, it can be ensured that no coercive action is taken.
SC posts hearing on suo motu case on September 5, orders re-sealing of status reports of CBI, WB govt.
Advocate Vishal Tiwari spoke briefly on Supreme Court's hearing on Kolkata rape-murder case, saying, "The Supreme Court is inquiring about the status report. The most important point of this inquiry was the timing of Unnatural Death case being registered. There was some confusion, but it was clarified by state of West Bengal that Unnatural Death case was registered before post mortem."
The BJP's march to Swasthya Bhawan - the headquarters of the Bengal health department in Salt Lake - began from Hudco crossing this afternoon. "We want the truth to come out and we want justice. The state government and the state health department are trying to hide the truth. The state health department and R G Kar Hospital has tried to wipe out the evidence," BJP leader Dilip Ghosh said.
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A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud issued a slew of directions on the safety of doctors, norms for protests, rights of protesters as well as the West Bengal government.
It said the National Task Force (NTF) formed by the apex court will take note of the suggestions of all the stakeholders while formulating a national protocol for the safety of healthcare professionals, including the associations representing resident doctors.
"We direct the secretary of the Union Ministry of Health to engage with the chief secretaries of the states and directors general of police to ensure the safety of healthcare professionals," the bench said, while ordering that the exercise be completed in a week.
A 4-member committee has been formed to address AIIMS doctors' safety concerns under the chairmanship of Dean Academics and a 15-member has also been formed which will conduct an internal collaborative security audit, Dr Rima Dada, AIIMS New Delhi Spokesperson said.
She added, "Not only AIIMS but the outreach campuses of AIIMS, such as our rural health primary health centre, de-addiction centre, national centre and cancer institute, will be thoroughly inspected in the morning and night. Director has assured all doctors that their safety and security will be given top priority. Doctor duty rooms will have locks and security guards will be posted there, so all these things will be taken care of during the work..."
She also mentioned that daily meetings were being held with Resident doctors and the Students' Union to hammer out the particulars.
Doctors at several top Indian government hospital ended Thursday an 11-day strike in protest against the rape and murder of a doctor, but furious demonstrations are continuing in Kolkata.
Hours after meeting the parents of the woman doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered, West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose sent a confidential letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee but it was not received by the CMO, an official in the Raj Bhavan claimed on Thursday.
"A confidential letter was sent by a messenger to the CMO last night. But the CMO refused to receive it," the Raj Bhavan official told PTI. The official, however, declined to divulge the content of the letter.
There was, however, no confirmation regarding this development from the state government.
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The Supreme Court on Thursday in a firm rebuke to political parties asked them not to politicise the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, and senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing West Bengal government, that across the political spectrum, parties have to realise that "law will take its course."
Submitting that statements should not be made, Mehta said, "A sitting minister of the State of West Bengal has made a statement that if anybody talks anything against our leader (Mamata Banerjee), his fingers will be chopped off."
Retorting to his submission, Sibal said that "leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari has said bullets will be fired."
The bench, also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said, "Do not politicise the situation. Across the political spectrum, parties have to realise that law will take its course. We are ensuring that law does take its course after quick investigation."
The top court said it is concerned with safety and welfare of doctors and will pass enforceable directions on the issue.
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday asked the West Bengal government why a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed a year after allegations of financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital first emerged.
Former deputy superintendent of the state-run medical college hospital Akhtar Ali moved the court seeking an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against its ex-principal Sandip Ghosh over alleged financial irregularities during his tenure there.
Hearing the petition, Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj, who is presiding over the case, asked why the SIT was constituted a year after the allegations came to light. The matter will be heard again on Friday, the court said.
Ali claimed that he had reported Ghosh's alleged financial irregularities to state authorities in 2023.
Ghosh was removed from his position as principal following the rape-murder of a woman postgraduate trainee doctor at the hospital on August 9.
Subsequently, on August 20, the West Bengal government set up the SIT to probe the financial irregularities at the medical college and hospital.
A special court in Kolkata on Thursday allowed the CBI to conduct a polygraph test on former RG Kar Medical College principal Sandip Ghosh and four other doctors in connection with the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee at the hospital, officials said.
The CBI took Ghosh and four other doctors, who were on duty on the date of the incident on August 9, to a special court for seeking its permission to conduct the lie detection test on them, they said.
The lie detection test can only be conducted after a permission from the court and the consent of the suspect, they said.
The CBI application was granted by the Special court. The agency has also sought the polygraph test on main accused Sanjay Roy.
"The new principal has joined...It (deployment of CISF) depends on the situation. They will leave one the situation is fine...Everything will be fine. Let the principal settle down, a plan will then be formed. I will speak after that...The entire faculty met the principal. A few students came to us, we spoke with them. The students will speak with the principal tomorrow. CISF is doing its work... They (junior doctors and medical students) will come back, they will come back after the final hearing of the Supreme Court. They will speak with the principal."
It is a good thing that Supreme Court is taking such positive steps but our concern is that the Supreme Court is considering about this one particular case but the larger question is, the brutal rape and murder of women, irrespective of their profession, age, region religion and caste, it is happening in this country...Such things are repeatedly happening. How many more women will have to sacrifice their lives like this for the waking up of the entire system, that is what is concerning us..."CPI leader Annie Raja