The Supreme Court on Thursday, August 22, expressed grave concern over the Kolkata Police’s delay in filing a report on the unnatural death of a trainee woman doctor who was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. A bench consisting of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra was presiding over the case.
The Supreme Court urged the protesting doctors to return to their duties and guaranteed that no punitive measures would be taken against them upon their return. The bench questioned the timing and sequence of the police’s legal procedures, expressing surprise that the postmortem of the deceased was conducted on August 9 between 6:10 pm and 7:10 pm, prior to the case being registered as an unnatural death.
Here are the top five observations made by the Supreme Court in the Kolkata doctor rape-murder case:
- The bench remarked, “How was it that the post-mortem was conducted at 6:10 pm on August 9, and yet the information about the unnatural death was sent to Tala police station at 11:30 pm on August 9? This is extremely disturbing.”
- Justice JB Pardiwala stated, “The entire procedure followed by your state police is something I have not encountered in 30 years.”
- The court assured, “Once they (protesting doctors) return to duty, we will urge the authorities not to take adverse action. How will the public health infrastructure function if doctors do not work? If there are further difficulties, come to us. But let them first report to work.”
- The Supreme Court ordered the Kolkata Police officer who made the initial entry about the rape-murder, which has shocked the nation, to appear in the next hearing and reveal the time of the entry.
- The top court expressed its sympathy for all patients visiting public hospitals and assured doctors’ associations that the National Task Force would hear from all stakeholders. Chief Justice Chandrachud expressed deep concern about the inhumane working hours of resident doctors across the country, stating, “Some doctors work 36-hour shifts. The committee appointed should look into streamlining the on-duty hours of all doctors. 36 or 48-hour shifts are just inhumane!”
The alleged rape and murder of the Kolkata doctor at RG Kar hospital has led to widespread protests across the country. Her body was discovered with severe injuries inside the seminar hall of the hospital’s chest department. A civic volunteer was apprehended by the Kolkata Police in connection with the case on August 10, the day following the incident.
