The Supreme Court is currently hearing the case of a trainee doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered at R.G. Kar Medical College in Kolkata. A three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and including Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, is overseeing the case. The CJI expressed deep concern over the safety of doctors across the country following this incident.
The court questioned how sensitive information, including the victim's name, photo, and video, was leaked, stating that revealing the victim's identity is a violation of the law and damages the dignity of the deceased doctor. The Supreme Court criticized the college principal’s initial claim that the incident was a suicide, asking why the victim's parents were not allowed to see her body.
Furthermore, the court inquired about the delay in registering the FIR. The crime took place in the morning, but the FIR was only filed at 11:45 PM, raising suspicion. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal confirmed that the case was registered as an unnatural death. The Supreme Court emphasized that the delay hints at foul play and questioned how such a grave crime could occur in a hospital.
The court has directed the CBI to submit a status report on the investigation. The Supreme Court also announced the formation of a National Task Force to recommend measures for the protection of senior and junior doctors.
