RG Kar Case: SC begins hearing plea of Kolkata doctor rape-muder

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday commenced hearing a suo motu case related to the rape and murder of a doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra is hearing the matter. The apex court is examining the status report filed by the CBI.

The top court on October 15 had questioned the West Bengal government over hiring of civic volunteers in the state and sought data pertaining to their recruitment and appointment process. The apex court on September 30 expressed dissatisfaction over the "tardy" progress made by the state government over the installation of CCTVs and construction of toilets besides separate resting rooms in government medical colleges, and directed the state to complete the ongoing work by October 15.

On September 17, the top court expressed anguish over the findings in the CBI's status report in the case while refusing to divulge details and observed any disclosure could jeopardise the ongoing investigation. Earlier on September 9, the top court expressed its concern over the absence of the "challan" -- a key document forwarding the body of the junior doctor for postmortem -- from the records placed before it and sought a report from the West Bengal government.

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On August 22, the apex court had pulled up the Kolkata police over the delay in registering the unnatural death case of the deceased, calling it "extremely disturbing" while frowning upon the sequence of events and the timing of its procedural formalities. The top court had constituted a 10-member national task force to formulate a protocol for ensuring the safety and security of doctors and other healthcare professionals.

Terming the incident as "horrific", the apex court had censured the state government over the alleged delay in filing of the FIR and allowing thousands of people to vandalise the state-run facility. The incident, which saw the doctor being killed with her body showing injury marks, had sparked nationwide protests.

A civic volunteer was arrested by the Kolkata police in connection with the case the following day of the crime. On August 13, the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the probe from the Kolkata police to the CBI, which began its investigation on August 14.