Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal stated that the inquest indicated it was a case of murder.
File
New Delhi: On Tuesday, the Supreme Court raised questions to the West Bengal police concerning several issues, such as the delayed filing of the First Information Report, the postponement in releasing the body to the family, and the purported inability to safeguard women and doctors during a mob assault at RG Kar Medical College. The court also urged medical professionals to resume their duties.
A panel led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, which included Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Mishra, inquired about the reasons for the delay in registering the FIR related to the incident at RG Kar Medical College.
The Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognizance of the rape and murder of a doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal. During the hearing, the court raised several questions and established a national task force to address the safety concerns of medical professionals in India.
The court expressed its deep concern for the safety of doctors nationwide, stating, “If women cannot go to work and be safe, we are denying them the basic right to equality. We have to do something.”
The top court expressed doubts about the college principal’s attempt to dismiss the incident as a suicide and prohibited the parents from viewing the body. The court also questioned the West Bengal government regarding the three-hour delay in filing the FIR, noting that the crime was discovered in the early morning yet no FIR was filed. It emphasized that the absence of an FIR until late at night clearly indicated a case of murder.
In response to the Supreme Court’s inquiries, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal stated that the inquest indicated it was a case of murder. He further mentioned that a case pertaining to unnatural death was registered subsequent to the incident.
Chief Justice DY Chandrachud described the incident that occurred in the hospital as a grave offence and questioned the police about their actions, inquiring how vandals were allowed entry into the hospital. The Supreme Court also inquired about the first informant and other details of the case. Additionally, the court sought information on the timing of the body’s release to the parents for cremation. It was noted by the highest court that there was a delay of over three hours in filing the FIR, as the body was released at 8:30 pm and the FIR was not registered until 11:45 pm.
During the hearing the court was also apprised of the fact about an incident when the women doctors were threatened by a mob in the RG Hospital, the police had ran away from the spot. Senior Advocate Aprajita Singh, appearing for an organisation for doctors shared these facts to the court. She also told the Court that many doctors have left the hospital after this incident.
She reported to the court that during the vandalism at RG Kar Hospital, the stationed police officials fled and concealed themselves in the Nurses’ Dressing Room as the mob attacked. The apex court labeled this a grave issue and questioned the police’s actions, asking, “How can the police run away from the site?”
The apex court emphasized the necessity of ensuring a safe working environment for doctors nationwide. It ordered the deployment of adequate CISF personnel at RG Kar Hospital to safeguard the doctors and urged medical professionals across the country to resume their duties.
(With ANI inputs)
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