Kolkata rape-murder horror: Supreme Court directs CBI to submit fresh status report on probe by September 17

First Published Sep 9, 2024, 12:01 PM IST | Last Updated Sep 9, 2024, 12:02 PM IST

The Supreme Court, during a hearing on Monday, directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a fresh status report on the ongoing investigation into the murder of a junior doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The court set a deadline for the fresh report, asking the CBI to submit it by next Tuesday i.e. September 17 for further review.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud, while presiding over the case, acknowledged the status report already filed by the CBI but noted that the investigation was still in progress.

Also read: Kolkata doctor rape-murder: WB govt submits report to SC, claims 23 people died amidst doctors' strike

"The status report filed by the CBI indicates that the investigation is ongoing. We instruct the CBI to file a fresh status report on the matter. We will review it on Tuesday. Let’s see how things progress. The CBI is handling the investigation, and we do not wish to direct them in their work," remarked the CJI.

The Supreme Court also issued a directive concerning the security arrangements at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. CJI Chandrachud instructed that an officer from the West Bengal Home Department and a representative from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) work together to ensure that all three companies of CISF deployed for security at the hospital are provided suitable accommodation within the vicinity of the medical college. This directive is aimed at enhancing security measures and ensuring the personnel's efficient response in safeguarding the hospital premises.

During the hearing, Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta informed the court that the CBI had decided to send the forensic samples from the case to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for further examination. This step was deemed necessary as part of the ongoing investigation to clarify certain inconsistencies flagged by the agency.

The court also sought clarification regarding the CCTV footage of the search and seizure procedure that was conducted as part of the investigation. SG Mehta confirmed that the footage, captured between 8:30 PM and 10:45 PM, had been handed over to the CBI in four clips totaling 27 minutes. Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the West Bengal government, explained that due to a technical glitch, the footage had initially been stored in two parts but was ultimately provided in full.

A key point raised during the hearing involved the timeline discrepancies between the issuance of the victim's death certificate and the registration of her death at the police station. Advocate Sibal told the court that the victim's death certificate was issued at 1:47 PM, while her death was registered as unnatural at the police station at 2:55 PM. The CJI requested clarification on this timeline, which remains a critical part of the ongoing investigation.

Advocate Sibal also submitted a sealed report on behalf of the West Bengal health department, claiming that 23 people had died during the doctors' strike, which had impacted hospital operations. The details of this report were not made public but were submitted to the court for its consideration.

On August 22, the Supreme Court sharply criticised the Kolkata Police for the delay in registering the unnatural death of the woman doctor, who was allegedly raped and murdered at RG Kar Hospital. The court called the delay "extremely disturbing" and raised serious concerns about the sequence of events and the timing of procedural formalities.

Earlier, the apex court had formed a 10-member National Task Force (NTF) to establish a protocol ensuring the safety and security of doctors and other healthcare professionals across the country.

Also read: 'Unfair to blame Mamata': TMC's Shatrughan Sinha defends WB CM over Kolkata horror, sparks outburst (WATCH)

Describing the incident as "horrific," the court condemned the state government for delaying the filing of the FIR and for allowing thousands to vandalize the state-run hospital in the aftermath of the incident.

The alleged rape and murder of the junior doctor in a seminar hall at the state-run hospital have sparked protests nationwide. The medic’s body, found with severe injuries, was discovered inside the chest department seminar hall on August 9. A civic volunteer was arrested by the Kolkata Police the next day in connection with the case.

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