Supreme Court takes suo motu cognizance of Kolkata doctor rape-murder incident, lists case for August 20

The supplementary cause list of the Supreme Court for August 20 shows “in re: alleged rape and murder incident of a trainee doctor in R.G.Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata and related issues” listed for hearing before the bench, indicating that the court may also look into the acts of vandalism by a mob at the hospital on the night of August 14.

On August 13, the High Court division bench of Chief Justice

T S Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, while expressing displeasure over the handling of the case and observing that “there appears to be no significant progress in the investigation”, transferred the probe from Kolkata Police to the CBI.

Supporters of rival football clubs East Bengal and Mohun Bagan at a protest in Kolkata. (Express photo by Partha Paul)

The High Court said it would monitor the probe and the CBI would be required to submit a report to the court in three weeks.

A day later, a mob targeted doctors holding a midnight protest against the rape and murder, The mob also vandalised the hospital. Facing criticism over the violence, police have released 76 photos of people allegedly involved in the vandalism, and made 30 arrests.

On Sunday, The Indian Express reported that two TMC workers, several men in their teens or 20s, and a couple of women were among people identified or arrested in connection with the vandalism.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the Opposition BJP and CPM of orchestrating the vandalism at the hospital and spreading fake news on social media.

On August 16, the High Court, while criticising the police over the mob violence and vandalisation of parts of the hospital, called it an absolute failure of the state machinery. The bench said it was hard to believe that the police intelligence did not have information about the gathering of 7,000 people, when the state’s lawyer told the court that a mob of such a number had assembled at the hospital.

The High Court directed the police and the hospital authority to file separate affidavits narrating the “true state of affairs” at the hospital. All connected matters will be heard on August 21.

Police have arrested a civic volunteer, Sanjay Roy, in connection with the junior doctor’s rape and murder.

The case has sent shockwaves across the country, and has led to protests by doctors in several cities.