After hearing the suo motu petition on the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, the Supreme Court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to submit a fresh status report by next week.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal informed the court that the West Bengal Government had already filed a status report, noting that 23 people had died when doctors were not working. Meanwhile, the CBI’s status report was also submitted.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud raised questions about the distance between the RG Kar Medical College principal’s residence and the hospital. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta confirmed it was 15-20 minutes away. The court also inquired about the timing of the report on the unnatural death, to which Sibal responded that the death certificate was issued at 1:47 PM, but the police station entry for the death was only made at 2:55 PM. The search and seizure, he added, took place between 8:30 PM and 10:45 PM.
Regarding evidence, the court asked if CCTV footage from the incident had been handed over to the CBI. Mehta confirmed that four clips, totaling 27 minutes, had been provided. The CBI has since sent the samples for further analysis to AIIMS and other central forensic labs.
During the hearing, concerns were raised about security at RG Kar Medical College. The Supreme Court ordered that a senior officer from the state home department and a senior CISF officer ensure that CISF companies stationed there receive nearby accommodation. Additionally, security gadgets were to be provided by 9 PM.
Last month, the court questioned the West Bengal police over the handling of the case, highlighting delays in filing the First Information Report (FIR) and protecting hospital staff during a mob attack. The bench, led by Chief Justice Chandrachud, expressed concerns over the three-hour delay in registering the FIR after the doctor’s body had been handed over to her family at 8:30 PM. The FIR was only filed at 11:45 PM.
The court remarked, “If women cannot go to work and be safe, we are denying them the basic right to equality. We have to do something.” It also criticized the hospital’s initial response, which treated the incident as a suicide. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal confirmed it was a murder case and pointed out the delay in filing the FIR.
The court also learned that police officers stationed at the hospital had fled during the mob attack, leaving doctors vulnerable. Due to safety concerns, many doctors have since left the hospital.
The Supreme Court had previously called for increased security at the hospital and urged medical professionals across India to return to work.
