Calcutta HC Orders Centre To Bring WB AIIMS At Par With AIIMS Delhi

Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday has directed the Union Ministry of Health to improve the infrastructure at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Kalyani, West Bengal, to match the standards of AIIMS facilities in Delhi and Rishikesh.

Justice Tirthankar Ghosh issued this directive while addressing a plea from the father of a minor victim in the Jaynagar rape and murder case.

The victim’s father requested that the postmortem be conducted at a central government hospital.

Following this request, the Court ordered the procedure to be carried out at AIIMS Kalyani.

However, during the proceedings, the Court learned that AIIMS Kalyani didn’t have the necessary postmortem facilities.

Consequently, the High Court instructed AIIMS Kalyani to perform the postmortem using resources from the state-run JNM Hospital in Kalyani.

In addition, the Court directed the Additional Solicitor General to send a health in-charge team to assess AIIMS Kalyani’s infrastructure and identify any deficiencies that need to be addressed. The Court specified that this infrastructure overhaul should be completed by December 31, 2025.

“This should be done so that the common man can avail the best services of the doctors,” Justice Ghosh remarked. He emphasized the importance of providing adequate training for medical students, stating, “First lot of the students will be coming out from this AIIMS… They don’t have a post-mortem experience… Why should people go to South India to get treated?”

The Court also instructed the West Bengal government to facilitate the revamp of AIIMS Kalyani by ensuring there are no obstacles and by granting all necessary permissions.

The judge noted, “I will ensure that the State will not act as a barrier… If any license is required… This must be completed by December 31, 2025. This will benefit the public at large.”

The case stems from the tragic rape and murder of a nine-year-old girl in the Mahismari area of Jaynagar, discovered early on October 5. Earlier that day, a judicial magistrate denied a police request for a postmortem at the Mominpur Police Morgue Hospital.

Subsequently, the State sought to challenge this trial court order in the High Court but later withdrew the challenge, supporting the victim’s father’s request for a postmortem at a central government hospital instead.

This ruling highlights the urgent need for improved medical infrastructure and facilities in West Bengal, ensuring that such tragedies are met with appropriate responses and support for victims’ families.