Kolkata doctor rape and murder case: Supreme Court tells CBI to file report by August 22

New Delhi: Amid widespread protests across the country following the tragic rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata, the Supreme Court took up a suo motu case concerning the incident. A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, which had taken cognisance of the incident, kept the hearing for 10:30 am on Tuesday. During the hearing, the Supreme Court asked the CBI to submit a status report by August 22. In addition to this, the State of West Bengal has also been asked to submit a report on 22 August.

The case was transferred to the CBI on August 13 and investigation began on August 14.

The CBI recently received permission to conduct a polygraph test on the arrested accused, sources told ANI. On August 18, the CBI team examined and conducted 3D laser mapping in the emergency ward of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

Circling back to the hearing today, SC also constituted a 10-member task force to formulate national protocol for ensuring safety, facilities for doctors.

The SC also said that it was deeply concerned that the name of the deceased was published all over media. It also said that if women are not able to go to work and working conditions are not safe, we are denying them equality.

The apex court also noted that it appears the crime was detected in early hours but the medical college principal tried to pass it off as suicide.

Earlier, Doctors' bodies the Federation of Association of Medical Consultants of India (FAMCI) and the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA), and lawyer Vishal Tiwari also moved the top court by filing interim applications in the suo motu case, a PTI report said.

The FAMCI, in its plea, raised safety concerns for medical workers in hospitals across the country in the absence of any central law and said that despite years of demanding basic safety measures, medical workers continued to operate in risky environments.

The doctors' body said the Centre should be asked to formulate uniform guidelines to ensure protection for healthcare workers and address gaps in state-level laws.

Likewise, the FORDA, in its intervention application filed through advocates Satyam Singh and Sanjeev Gupta, said medics dedicated 10 to 11 years of rigorous education and training, including medical school and residency, to save lives and serve society.

"The healthcare workers play an indispensable role in society, often working under challenging conditions to provide care and save lives. Ensuring their safety is paramount. We urge the judiciary to mandate comprehensive security protocols at RG Kar Medical College and other similar institutions, to protect them from any form of threat or violence," the FORDA said.

It said the attack on medics violated several fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution such as the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21, right to practice any profession, or to carry on any occupation, trade or business under Article 19(1)(g) and the right to equality before law under Article 14.

It also sought framing of guidelines for enhancing security measures at medical colleges and hospitals across the country to prevent such incidents in the future.

Meanwhile, the doctors' strike over the rape and murder of the medic completed a week on Sunday and is now entering its second week.

The protesting doctors want the CBI to catch the culprits and for the court to impose the maximum punishment on them. They also want an assurance from the government that "no such incidents occur in the future".

The medic's body with severe injury marks was found inside the seminar hall of the hospital's chest department on August 9. A civic volunteer was arrested by the Kolkata Police in connection with the case the following day.

(With PTI Inputs)