Voice 9, New Delhi: The Supreme Court has initiated suo motu cognisance of the sexual assault and homicide of a physician at RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, is set to address the issue on Tuesday (August 20).
The case, labeled "In Re: Alleged Rape and Murder of Trainee Doctor in RG Kar Medical College Hospital, Kolkata, and Related Issues," was officially filed at 01:03 PM today. Recently, the High Court rebuked the West Bengal apparatus for the incidents of destruction at RG Kar hospital during demonstrations on August 14. The postgraduate trainee doctor's body was discovered in the seminar room of R.G. Kar Hospital on August 9.
A civic volunteer was apprehended by the Kolkata Police the following day in connection with the incident. On August 13, the Calcutta High Court instructed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to assume control of the inquiry, citing dissatisfaction with the Kolkata Police. The High Court issued the directive in response to pleas submitted by the victim's parents and other concerned parties. "The victim's parents fear that the ongoing investigation may veer off course. They seek extraordinary intervention.
Another troubling aspect is the classification of the case as an unnatural death. Such categorizations typically occur in the absence of a formal complaint. Given that the deceased was a doctor at the same hospital, it is perplexing why the institution's head did not file a complaint. The inquiry has stagnated without notable advancements. The establishment did not support the victim or her family. The head of the institution has refrained from providing a statement.
In light of the stagnant investigation, it is reasonable to heed the victim's parents' plea that crucial evidence might be tampered with. Hence, we are transferring the investigation to the CBI to ensure fairness and restore public trust," stated the High Court bench led by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya.
