The Calcutta High Court on Monday has instructed former Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal to submit an affidavit addressing allegations that he disclosed the identity of the rape-murder victim, a doctor from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
During a session, a division bench led by Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam requested Goyal to clarify whether the court could independently proceed with the matter and consider the petitioner’s request. Goyal is required to file his affidavit by November 7.
The bench, which also includes Justice Bivas Pattanayak, directed both the West Bengal government and the Central government to submit their affidavits on the issue.
The petitioner is expected to respond to these affidavits by November 14, at which point the court will reconvene to hear the matter.
Notably, the Supreme Court is already addressing the rape-murder case of the R G Kar Hospital doctor. The High Court expressed interest in determining if it can consider this petition independently while the top court is involved.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to review the case again on October 14.
The petition, filed on October 4, claims that Goyal violated established guidelines by publicly revealing the victim’s name. At the time of the tragic incident in August, Goyal was serving as the commissioner of Kolkata Police; he has since been reassigned as Additional Director General (ADG) of the Special Task Force (STF) of West Bengal Police.
Both the Supreme Court and the Calcutta High Court have previously issued directives to protect the identity of the postgraduate trainee whose body was discovered in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College on August 9.
These measures underscore the legal emphasis on confidentiality and the sensitive nature of such cases, highlighting the importance of adhering to established protocols regarding the victims’ identities.
As this situation unfolds, the courts are poised to ensure that justice is served while upholding the principles of privacy and dignity for the victims involved.
