Supreme Court criticises West Bengal’s response to Kolkata rape-murder

The Supreme Court has initiated Suo motu proceedings regarding the tragic Kolkata rape-murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. In a pointed critique of the West Bengal government and law enforcement, the apex court posed five critical questions that have highlighted significant deficiencies in the management of this case.

The Supreme Court inquired about the West Bengal government’s delay in registering an FIR, questioning the actions of the hospital authorities. “We don’t understand why FIR was registered after 12 hours,” remarked the bench.

CBI Directed to Submit Status Report on Kolkata Rape-Murder Investigation

Furthermore, the Supreme Court criticized the state’s response concerning the college principal, Dr. Sandip Ghosh, questioning the rationale behind his prompt reassignment to another institution while his conduct was still under investigation. Dr. Ghosh resigned from his position as principal of RG Kar on August 12, yet was appointed as principal at Calcutta National Medical College within a matter of hours.

The court noted that the crime seemed to have been identified in the early hours, yet the principal of the medical college attempted to characterize it as a suicide. The court inquired, “What was the principal doing? Why an attempt to pass off the incident as a suicide?”

The court expressed its inability to understand how the state of West Bengal allowed a mob to vandalize RG Kar hospital, emphasizing that it was the police’s responsibility to maintain security at the crime scene at all times. “How mob vandalized equipment and Kolkata police did not know about it? What was the police doing?” the court questioned.

Chief Justice Chandrachud further pointed out that the victim’s parents were only allowed to view the deceased after a significant delay. The victim’s father has publicly criticized what he described as the Mamata Banerjee government’s “attempt to silence” those seeking justice.

The Supreme Court has instructed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to submit a status report regarding the investigation by August 22. Additionally, the court expressed apprehension about the public disclosure of the victim’s identity, emphasizing that the law forbids the publication of victims’ names.

The West Bengal government’s actions have come under the examination of the Supreme Court regarding the appointment of Dr. Sandip Ghosh, who was the principal of RG Kar Medical College. This appointment occurred shortly after his resignation, which was surrounded by scrutiny concerning his conduct concerning the ongoing case.

The rape and murder of the junior doctor has ignited widespread protests throughout the nation, with medical professionals striking to demand justice and improved safety conditions. The Supreme Court’s involvement highlights the seriousness of the matter and the necessity for a comprehensive and unbiased investigation to hold the offenders accountable and to safeguard the welfare of healthcare workers across India.

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