New Delhi: After taking a suo motu cognisance of the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, the Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Central Bureau of Investigation—which is investigating the crime presently—to submit a status report and apprise on the probe progress.
National Task Force (NTF) For Safety Measures For Doctors
A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, ordered this while hearing the matter amid massive outcry across the country over safety of women. The apex court will also set up a 10-member national task force to give recommendations on the modalities to be followed across the country for the safety of senior and junior doctors. The task force will comprise Surgeon Vice Admiral RK Sarian; Dr Reddy, Managing Director Asian Institute of National Gastrology; Dr M Srivas, Director AIIMS, Delhi; and Dr Prathima Moorthy, NIMHANS, Bangalore.
The NTF will create action plans under two key areas: (1) preventing violence, including gender-based violence, against medical professionals; and (2) providing an enforceable national protocol to ensure dignified and safe working conditions for interns, residents, senior residents, and doctors, LiveLaw reported.
Stating that more and more women join the workforce, the SC said that the nation cannot wait for another rape case for things to change on the ground. CJI noted that existing enactments do not address institutional safety standards for doctors and medical workers.
‘Let State Not Unleash Power On Protestors’
The apex court has also come down heavily on the West Bengal government. Stating that a serious offence had taken place in the hospital, the CJI asked ‘What are they (the state) doing? Allowing vandalists to enter the hospital…’reported the ANI. “We are unable to comprehend how the state was not able to handle the issue of vandalism at the hospital,” the court stated. The court remarked ‘let not the power of the state of West Bengal be unleashed on protestors.’
‘Why Ex-Principal Of RG Kar, Who Was Under Scrutiny, Appointed To Another College?’
The court also said it appeared that the crime was detected in the early hours and that the medical college principal ‘tried to pass it off as suicide’, reported the NDTV. “When the conduct of the RG Kar Hospital’s principal was under scrutiny, how was he appointed to another college immediately,” the Supreme Court asked, referring to former principal Sandip Ghosh’s appointment as the principal of the Calcutta Medical College, shortly after he resigned from the RG Kar Hospital. Ghosh is presently facing CBI interrogation.
‘Unexplained Delay In Filing Of FIR By Kolkata Police’
The Supreme Court raised questions on the registration of the FIR. The apex court told Kapil Sibal, who was representing the West Bengal government, it appeared that the crime was detected in the early hours of the morning and no FIR was filed. Senior advocate, Sibal, denied the fact and said an unnatural death case was registered. But, the court insists that until late at night, there was no FIR stating that it was a clear case of murder.
SC Asks West Bengal Govt To File Report On Vandalism At RG Kar
The court has also asked the state government of West Bengal to file a report on the vandalism that occurred on the premises of RG Kar Hospital on the night of August 14, when women across Bengal and some parts of the country were staging protests to ‘reclaim their rights on the night.’ The protests were triggered after a 31-year-old PGT doctor was found brutally raped and murdered in the hospital’s seminar room on August 9. One civic volunteer, Sanjay Roy, was arrested by the Kolkata Police in this case, before it was transferred to the CBI following Calcutta High Court’s directive.
Concern Over Victim’s Privacy
The SC said that it was deeply concerned about the fact that name, a photograph of the victim is all over India.
“Deeply concerned of the fact that name, photograph of the victim is all over the India. We are deeply concerned about the fact that the name, photo and video clip of the Kolkata rape victim was published all over. The law prohibits publishing victims’ names. Is this the way we provide dignity to the young doctor who has lost her life?,” the CJI asked.
CISF To Provide Security At RG Kar
The SC had ordered deployment of CISF to provide security at RG Kar Medical College Hospital in Kolkata in the wake of the incident of vandalism on August 15 and the fact that most residents have left the hospital.
The CJI also urged striking doctors to call off their strike, saying their concerns are receiving the highest importance before the top court.
