Stage not more than 40 ft, guard rails, crowd limit of 250: Calcutta HC gives permission for R G Kar protest at Esplanade
The police on Monday denied permission to the WBJDF to hold a demonstration from December 17, to demand that the CBI immediately submit a supplementary chargesheet in the RG Kar case.
Written by Tanusree Bose
Kolkata | December 20, 2024 06:31 PM IST
3 min read
Whatsapp
twitter
Facebook
Reddit
The police on Monday had denied permission for the demonstration which had been planned from December 17 onwards. (File Photo)
The Calcutta High Court on Friday granted permission to the West Bengal Joint Platform of Doctors, a group of senior medical professionals, to hold a protest against the bail granted to two accused — Sandip Ghosh and Abhijit Mondal — in the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.
Justice Tirthankar Ghosh permitted the doctors to stage a demonstration from December 20 to 26 at Esplanade. Ghosh and Mondal are accused of tampering with evidence and trying to “hush up” the R G Kar rape and murder case.
The police on Monday had denied permission for the demonstration which had been planned from December 17 onwards, with the aim of demanding that the CBI immediately submit a supplementary chargesheet in the RG Kar case. “…(You) are not allowed to hold your proposed programme at that place from the traffic point of view as there is every possibility of traffic congestion and inconvenience to the general public,” the Kolkata Police had said in its mail to the West Bengal Joint Platform of Doctors.
Following this, the joint platform of five organisations of doctors decided to move the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday morning.
High Court conditions for sit-in protest
The court has laid down certain conditions for the sit-in demonstration. The stage cannot exceed 40 feet, while the crowd has to be capped at 200-250 people, it ordered. Further, the doctors “must conduct their protest” at a location 50 feet away from Dorina crossing at Esplanade to prevent disruption. Initially, the doctors intended to hold their sit-in at Dorina Crossing, but concerns over traffic congestion were raised by the state government.
The police were permitted by the court to reduce the crowd if there is excess congestion. The doctors were also ordered to not create any hardship and to keep the law and order situation under control. A compliance report is to be submitted by the police by January 13.
During the hearing, Justice Tirthankar Ghosh came down heavily on the state counsel for having an “unacceptable dual policy”. The state counsel had informed the court that there were many hawkers at the sit-in demonstration site, following which the court observed that “it cannot be that the place is available for some and unavailable for others.”
Story continues below this ad
Last Friday, the ACJM court, Sealdah, granted bail to the former principal of R G Kar Sandip Ghosh and the former SHO of Tala Police Station, Abhijit Mondal, following the CBI’s failure to file a charge sheet against them within the stipulated 90 days of their arrests. The duo were arrested on September 14.
Tanusree Bose is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Kolkata. Her work focuses sharply on the complex administrative, political, and judicial developments across West Bengal, establishing her as an authoritative voice in regional news coverage.
Experience
Current Role: Reports for the prestigious national daily, The Indian Express, providing her content with a high level of Trustworthiness.
Geographical Expertise: Provides focused, in-depth coverage of West Bengal, demonstrating an intimate knowledge of the state's news and political nuances.
Core Authority: Her reporting portfolio highlights deep Expertise in crucial, often sensitive, beats, including:
State Politics and Governance: Covering the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), opposition strategies (BJP), and internal political controversies.
Judicial and Administrative Affairs: Closely monitoring key developments in the Calcutta High Court, particularly major rulings related to employment, education, and social issues.
Education Sector: Extensive reporting on significant controversies, such as teacher recruitment irregularities and administrative actions by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE).
Social & Electoral Issues: Covering public events, community tensions (e.g., religious/political gatherings), and election-related processes like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll.
Tanusree Bose's consistent output and focus on high-stakes regional issues for a trusted media outlet underscore her status as a reliable and authoritative source for news from West Bengal. ... Read More
3 min read
