Kolkata doctor rape-murder case Highlights: SC directs MEITY to appoint nodal officer for removal of posts divulging victim’s identity

The next hearing will take place on October 14. 

CJI Chandrachud orders the court-constituted National Task Force (NTF) to submit its interim report on the next date of hearing. 

Ms. Jaising requests the Bench to include one additional member in the task force from the WB Association of Doctors. 

Denying the plea, CJI Chandrachud remarks – “...All that you have to do is address an email, they will ensure that representation of the residential doctors will be heard.” 

Ms. Jaising apprises the court that junior doctors are providing all essential services including In-Patient Department (IPD) services and Out-Patient Department (OPD) services. 

Senior advocate Karuna Nundy makes a mention of the alleged attack on doctors and medical staff at the Sagore Dutta Medical College and Hospital (MCH) in North 24 Parganas a few days ago. 

Mr. Dwivedi appearing for the WB government submits that a patient died in the hospital leading to the alleged assault. 

The Chief Justice records in the order that the WB government has undertaken to complete all infrastructural work at the hospital by October 15, 2024. 

Earlier, the court had directed the WB government to construct CCTV camera, separate restrooms etc at the hospital. 

The court is apprised that Dr. Manas Kumar Bandyopadhyay has been appointed as the new principal of the RG Kar Hospital. Further, Dr. Saptarshi Chatterjee has been made the Medical Superintendent and Vice Principal of the institution. 

Also Read: Kolkata doctor rape-murder case: Three officials of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital transferred amid protests

Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi appearing for the West Bengal government submits that the State is willing to take action against hospital officials who are under investigation. He requests CBI to furnish their details to the State. 

The Chief Justice notes in the order that it would not be appropriate to publicise the leads gathered by the CBI in its probe at this stage. 

Whether there is any relationship between the rape and murder of the resident doctor and the alleged financial irregularities in the hospital is a matter of investigation, the CJI underscores. 

Senior advocate Indira Jaising informs the court that all junior doctors have resumed work in compliance with the court’s earlier directions. 

Echoing Ms. Nundy’s submissions, she submits that hospital officials under investigation must be temporarily suspended so that there is an end to the persistent “threat culture”. 

Senior advocate Karuna Nundy apprises the Bench that officials who have been named in the CBI’s status report with respect to financial irregularities that allegedly took place in the hospital were present at the scene of the crime and continue to hold positions of power. 

She says that these officials ought to be suspended until the investigation is over. 

After perusing the CBI’s status report, CJI Chandrachud questions Mr. Mehta, 

“The report shows that the injury was accelerated because of braces and glasses she was wearing, how can that happen if your are lying down for sleeping?”

Mr. Mehta responds saying that the victim must have dozed off with her spectacles on. 

The Chief Justice remarks that substantial leads have come up in the CBI investigation. 

“..Let CBI continue to investigate. They have given statements on both aspects- 1. the rape and murder and 2. the financial irregularities”, he adds. 

Senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani apprises the Bench that no action has been taken against former Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal for allegedly revealing the identity of the victim. 

He further points out that the Calcutta High Court had observed that the Supreme Court would look into the issue. 

Pursuant to the plea, the Chief Justice records in the order – 

“The parents of the deceased are disconcerted by repreated clips in social media referring to pictures and reels. Besides these clips, videos have also proliferated. Earlier order is clarified to apply in relation to all intermediaries and to reiterate no intermediate shall be allowed to carry the name or pictures of her identity.”

The court further orders the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) to appoint a nodal officer to take down social media posts divulging the victim’s identity. 

Advocate Vrinda Grover, appearing for the parents of the victim, apprises the Bench that social media posts disclosing the identity of the victim are still being published despite the court’s earlier orders. 

The Chief Justice says that the hands of the court are now tied and it is up to the law enforcement agencies to enforce the court’s prior directions. 

“Can there be a nodal officer and an email ID provided by the Union government for taking down the posts according to the law?”, Ms. Grover says. 

A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud begins hearing the suo motu case. 

The Supreme Court earlier slammed the West Bengal government for its scheme to hire private security guards to protect women medical students, doctors and staff in government hospitals under the ‘Rattirer Sathi’ (Friend in the Night) scheme.

A three-judge Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud pointed out that the main accused, Sanjoy Roy, in the ​rape and murder of a junior doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital​, was also a volunteer.

“The accused was drawn from the volunteer force. Are you again going to have another set of contractual people trained by the police for just seven days now walking all around hospitals? What safety would women doctors have,” Chief Justice Chandrachud asked the State sharply about the scheme notified on September 13. 

​Read more here​. 

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Supreme Court slams Bengal Government’s plan to hire private guards to protect women doctors

Supreme Court criticises West Bengal's 'Rattirer Sathi' scheme, demands equal safety for women doctors, withdraws restrictive policies, and questions security measures.

The Supreme Court on Monday (September 9, 2024) directed the doctors in West Bengal, who are abstaining from duties as part of protests over the rape-murder of a doctor in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, to immediately return to work. They have been asked to resume their duties by 5 pm on September 10, failing which the State government will be authorised to initiate disciplinary action against them.

A Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra however assured that no punitive action, including transfers, will be ordered against the doctors who return to work within the stipulated time.

Watch here. 

Watch | Kolkata doctor rape and murder case: SC asks striking medics to resume work by September 10, CBI told to file fresh status report

Supreme Court directs protesting doctors in West Bengal to return to work, ensuring safety measures and CBI investigation.

After the Supreme Court on Tuesday (September 17, 2024) ordered that the identity of the medic murdered at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata should be removed from Wikipedia, the Wikimedia Foundation moved to avert a confrontation with the highest court. The Foundation does not as a policy edit or censor articles, complicating its ability to directly change the contents of the Wikipedia entry on the incident. Instead, a representative for the foundation participated in an existing user discussion on whether the victim’s name should be mentioned in the article on the incident, and the name has been removed, for now, by volunteer editors.

Read more here. 

Kolkata rape-murder case: Wikipedia parent moves to avert confrontation with SC over R.G. Kar victim identity

Kolkata rape-murder case: The Wikimedia Foundation does not as a policy edit or censor articles, complicating its ability to directly change the contents of the Wikipedia entry on the incident.

Members of the West Bengal Junior Doctors Front told the Supreme Court that they would “in principle” want to rejoin work after over a month of protests against the brutal rape and murder of their young colleague at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata following assurances from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at a meeting held on Monday (September 16, 2024), but they were still haunted by a “fear psychosis”.

Appearing before a three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, senior advocate Indira Jaising, for the junior doctors, confided in the courtroom that those responsible behind the “cover-up” about the gruesome crime on August 9 were still “roaming” in the hospital and would subject them to victimisation on rejoining work.

Ms. Jaising said a “settlement” had been reached after the fifth round of talks held with Ms. Banerjee on Monday (September 16, 2024). She said the Front had sent 40 representatives for the meetingregardless of the fact that the State had not met any of the pre-conditions the top court had set on September 9 for the doctors to join work the next day at 5 p.m. The senior advocate said the Front would hold a general body meeting “today or tomorrow” to reach a “broad consensus”. There might be a “gap of time” before taking a final call.

Read more here. 

Ready to work, but haunted by fear: West Bengal doctors tell Supreme Court

West Bengal Junior Doctors Front considers returning to work after meeting with Chief Minister Banerjee, still concerned about safety.

The ​Supreme Court on Tuesday (September 17, 2024) observed ​that the revelations in the new status report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) were “disturbing” while hearing the suo motu case concerning the rape and murder of a postgraduate doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. 

However, a Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud chose not to disclose the specifics of the report, citing concerns that such revelations could compromise the ongoing investigation. The Chief Justice also noted that the CBI is examining several possibilities, including potential tampering with the crime scene, involvement of additional individuals beyond the two accused, and evidence tampering.

​Watch here​. 

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Watch: Kolkata rape-murder case: Supreme Court says it is ‘disturbed’ by CBI findings, rejects plea to halt live-streaming

Kolkata rape-murder case: what the Supreme Court observed of the CBI’s findings, on live-streaming, and more

West Bengal Junior Doctors Front organised a torch rally from R.G. Kar Hospital to Shyambazar yesterday as part of their ongoing protests over the rape and murder incident and demanding justice for the victim.

Junior doctors who have been on protest against the rape and murder incident have said they haven’t seen any action on the directives given by the Chief Secretary as per their demands.

“Our agitation so far centred around only one agenda, and that was justice for Abhaya. It has been 10 days since we met with the Chief Secretary concerning our safety and security in hospitals, but we haven’t seen any action on the directives given by the Chief Secretary as per our demands,” Aniket Mahato, a junior doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital said.