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PremiumKolkata Doctor Rape Case Highlights: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked doctors protesting over the rape and murder case of a postgraduate medic at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College to resume work, and assured them that no adverse action will be taken once they rejoin. Stay tuned for Kolkata Doctor Rape Case LIVE Updates.
The rape and murder of the trainee doctor has sparked nationwide protests. The top took suo motu cognizance of the matter and constituted a National Task Force to recommend guidelines to ensure the safety of medical professionals. A CBI investigation into the matter is underway.
SC said that it is deeply concerned about the safety of doctors across India. "If women cannot go to work and be safe, we are denying them the basic right to equality. We have to do something" the court said.
The trainee doctor's body with severe injury marks was found inside the seminar hall of the hospital's chest department on August 9. A civic volunteer was arrested by the Kolkata Police the following day for his alleged involvement in the rape-murder incident.
On 21 August, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose paid a visit to the family of the trainee doctor.
Meanwhile, The West Bengal Health Department removed the newly appointed principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Suhrita Pal, who was also the Head of the Chest Department, along with one Assistant Superintendent, following demands from the students. Manas Kumar Bandyopadhyay has now been named as the new principal of RGKMCH.
Catch all the Kolkata Doctor Rape Case LIVE Updates:
Updates to this blog has been closed. Keep an eye on LiveMint for further updates
Kolkata Doctor Case Hearing Live: Junior doctors at the state-run Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) have ended their strike on Thursday.
"We are resuming duties and calling off our ‘pen down agitation’ following an appeal by the Supreme Court and a meeting with the state health minister," Ankit Kumar, president of the Junior Doctor's Association (JDA), RIMS, told PTI.
Kolkata Doctor Case Hearing Live: FAIMA Chairman Dr Rohan Krishnan on Thursday called of the strike after Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachuds's request.
Dr Krishnan said that a pan-India meeting was held earlier and requested all resident doctors to return to work.
"The CJI requested us to call off the strike for the larger interest and public welfare. We had a pan-India meeting and we have decided to resume the OPD, emergency and elective services. The protest will continue but in a different form. I request all resident doctors to return and work for the patients' welfare. Our legal battle will continue," Dr Krishnan said.
Kolkata Doctor Case Hearing Live: The West Bengal government reportedly sacked the newly appointed principal of RG Kar Medical College on Wednesay amid mounting pressure from students. Suhrita Paul and three other senior officials of the institution had been under scrutiny since the tragic rape and murder of a junior doctor on hospital premises earlier this month. It was however not immediately clear whether their transfer had already been implemented.
“The new principal has joined...It (deployment of CISF) depends on the situation. They will leave one the situation is fine...Everything will be fine. Let the principal settle down, a plan will then be formed. I will speak after that...The entire faculty met the principal. A few students came to us, we spoke with them. The students will speak with the principal tomorrow. CISF is doing its work...(They (junior doctors and medical students) will come back, they will come back after the final hearing of the Supreme Court. They will speak with the principal," said Dr Kaustav Nayek — the Director of Medical Education — on Thursday evening.
Kolkata Doctor Case Hearing Live: The CBI took Sandip Ghosh and four others to a Kolkata court on Thursday to seek permission for a lie-detection test.
Kolkata Doctor Case Hearing Live: The state committee of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions staged a silent protest outside Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday. They were joined by hospital workers.
Kolkata Doctor Case Hearing Live: Scuffles broke out on Thursday between police personnel and BJP supporters during a march in the eastern fringes of the city
Kolkata Doctor Case Hearing Live: Doctors at Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Thursday announced that they were calling off their 11-day strike, to protest the rape and murder of a Kolkata doctor, following an appeal from the Supreme Court.
The apex court earlier in the day asked protesting doctors to resume work and assured them that no adverse action would be taken after they rejoin.
"We are resuming duties following the Supreme Court’s appeal and assurances and intervention in the RG Kar incident and safety for doctors . We commend the Court's action and call for adherence to its directives. Patient care remains our top priority," the AIIMS Resident Doctors' Association said in a post on X.
Kolkata Doctor Case Hearing Live: The IMA has decided it will file an interlocutory application to intervene in the Supreme Court's suo motu case. The Indian Medical Association headquarters is also preparing the documents to appear before the task force formed by the court to formulate a protocol for ensuring safety and security of healthcare professionals.
Kolkata Doctor Case Hearing Live: BJP leaders lashed out at the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government on Thursday as the Supreme Court continued hearing the case.
“The Bengal and the entire country is on the road due to the incident that has happened. The country is ashamed of the way the CM is trying to protect the accused. Today, the SC judge has said that I haven't seen such a thing in 30 years of my career... The entire administration needs cleansing and also, the CM, Mamata Banerjee must be changed...The accused must be punished and those who are protecting the accused must be thrown out of power," said BJP leader Dilip Ghosh.
“Supreme Court has taken cognisance of this incident and given the case for inquiry. People of West Bengal have little hope. Although, the evidence has been destroyed, we have hope that the culprit will be caught," added Roopa Ganguly.
Kolkata Doctor Case Hearing Live: Chief Justice DY Chandrachud has directed officials to ensure the safety of protesting medicos as they return to work. The court however declineds to pass any order for security by state at private hospitals.
“Doctors are willing to go back to work, however, it is submitted that state govts may take some safety measures for the doctors...we direct that the secretary of the Union Ministry of Health engage with the Chief Secretaries of the State and Director General of Police to ensure the safety. The exercise be completed in one week and the states shall take appropriate actions within period of two weeks," LiveLaw quoted the Court as saying.
Kolkata Doctor Case Hearing Live: The Supreme Court has posted the hearing on suo motu case for September 5. It also ordered the re-sealing of status reports of CBI, West Bengal government.
Kolkata Doctor Case Hearing Live: The West Bengal BJP unit conducted a protest march in the eastern fringes of the city on Thursday. The march to Swasthya Bhawan - the headquarters of the state health department in Salt Lake - began from Hudco crossing this afternoon.
“We want the truth to come out and we want justice. The state government and the state health department are trying to hide the truth. The state health department and R G Kar Hospital has tried to wipe out the evidence," said party leader Dilip Ghosh.
Kolkata Doctor Case Hearing Live: The Supreme Court has asked the Union Health ministry to open portal so stakeholders can post suggestions on safety of doctors to NTF.
Kolkata Doctor Case Hearing Live: Patients at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi are experiencing delays in treatment due to the ongoing protests. Long queues formed as the hospital struggled with reduced staffing due to the ongoing strike on Thursday.
Kolkata rape-murder: The Supreme Court has asked protesting doctors to resume normal work. Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said ‘justice and medicine cannot afford to be stopped’ during the hearing on Thursday.
“13 days AIIMS doctors are not working.. please get to work... we have ensure no coercive action provided no protest after the date of today's order," he urged.
Kolkata Doctor Case Hearing Live: Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said that there would be no ‘coercive action’ taken against protesting doctors once they come back to work.
“An apprehension has been expressed by the doctors that some of them are being proceeded against with respect to protests that happened in past. we have been assured that doctors will return back to work.. and let there be no coercive action be taken against doctors after they come back to work after the date of today's order. no adverse action against doctor after they resume work for any protest that happened before the date of today's order," read an excerpt from the order quoted by Bar and Bench.
Kolkata Doctor Case Hearing Live: The Supreme Court insisted on Thursday that peaceful protests should not be disturbed.
“This court has not injuncted the state from exercising such lawful powers as entrusted in law, however, we categorically affirm that peaceful protests shall not be disturbed and state shall not take action against those peacefully protesting against the incident at RG Kar College," LiveLaw quoted CJI DY Chandrachud as saying.
Kolkata Doctor Case Hearing Live: Chief Justice DY Chandrachud questioned the delay in registering an FIR after the hearing resumed on Thursday afternoon.
“What is the reason (a) for FIR to be lodged 14 hours of delay; (b) the principal of the college should have supposed to come straight to the college and filed the FIR, whom is he protecting ? (c) he had resigned and assigned another college?" LiveLaw quoted him as saying.
Kolkata Doctor Case Hearing Live: The Calcutta High Court is hearing a plea concerning illegalities committed by former RG Kar Hospital principal Dr Sandip Ghosh. Former RG Kar Deputy Superintendent Akhtar Ali has claimed that Ghosh was mismanaging dead bodies, selling biomedical waste and misusing funds.
Kolkata Doctor Case Hearing Live:
"The Supreme Court is inquiring about the status report. The most important point of this inquiry was the timing of UD case being registered. There was some confusion, but it was clarified by state of West Bengal that UD case was registered before post mortem," advocate Vishal Tiwari told PTI.
Kolkata Doctor Case Hearing Live: CISF personnel have arrived at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
The Supreme Court resumed hearing today on the case involving the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. A bench consisting of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra presided over the case.
"We have referred to the working conditions in general. We have gone to public hospitals. I have slept on the floor of a government hospital when one of my family members was sick. We know thatd doctors work over 36 hours", said the CJI.
“The duty is almost 48 hours, then you are neither in a physical or mental state to resist if somebody is teasing you. I am not even going into serious crimes".
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders lashed out at West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee and said, “Mamata Banerjee has lost the confidence of the people of West Bengal and the country. Her continuation as the Chief Minister is undefendable. I think she should immediately resign in the best interest of the people of West Bengal. Today, the CBI is going to submit a status report. Many truths are going to come out. But what stands out is the role of the police which both the High Court and the Supreme Court have heavily come down. The way the police have mishandled and misused the situation. Right from the beginning, the High Court had very clearly said before it transferred the case to the CBI that the West Bengal police didn't take statements on record. They didn't file an FIR."
The Supreme Court on Thursday termed “extremely disturbing" the Kolkata Police’s delay in registering the unnatural death of the woman doctor who was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. "How was it that the post-mortem was conducted at 6.10 pm on August 9 and yet the unnatural death information is sent to Tala police station at 11.30 pm on August 9. This is extremely disturbing," the bench, also comprising Justice J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said.
Calling for the resignation of Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, BJP MP Saumitra Khan on Thursday commented on the ongoing Supreme Court hearing on the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital alleged rape and murder case of a trainee doctor in Kolkata.
"Everyone demands that the rapist and murderers be arrested at the earliest," said Khan. Moreover, he called for the arrest of the Kolkata Police Commissioner and also the arrest of the team which informed the victim's family of a suicide. "The Kolkata Police Commissioner should be arrested first and taken into CBI custody. The team which informed the victim's parents of suicide should be arrested", added the BJP MP.
Supreme Court hearing will resume after lunch.
Here's what happened so far:
SC questions sequence, timing of legal formalities conducted by police in registration of unnatural death, postmortem.
SC directs Kolkata Police officer, who registered first entry about rape-murder incident, to appear on next hearing to disclose time.
Victim's friend suspected cover up and insisted on videography, CBI tells SC.
SC asks how will public health infrastructure run if doctors do not work
SC says Let the health professionals return to work and once they return to duties the court will prevail upon authorities to not take adverse action
SC questioned sequence, timing of legal formalities conducted by police in registration of unnatural death, postmortem.
Justice J.B. Pardiwala expressed his concerns about the procedures followed by the West Bengal state authorities, stating that the approach taken was unfamiliar to him.
He remarks that the entire procedure followed by the WB state is something which he has not come across and raised doubt on the conduct of the assistant superintendent of police and asked why did she act in this manner.
SC terms as 'extremely disturbing' delay by Kolkata Police in registering unnatural death in its records.
SC directs Kolkata Police officer, who registered first entry about rape-murder incident, to appear on next hearing to disclose time.
Supreme Court questions West Bengal Government on facts relating to the incident
CJI DY Chandrachud says one aspect is extremely disturbing, the DD entry of unnatural death is recorded at 10:10 AM but the securing of the crime scene, the seizures were done at night
Sibal informs SC that they have given a timeline backed by videography
CJI Chandrachud asks about the medical report of the injury of the accused
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal informs Supreme Court that this is part of the case dairy
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta apprises SC that CBI entered the investigation on the 5th day, everything was altered and the probe agency did not know there was such a report
Senior Advocate Sibal counters SG's submission and says everything is videographed not altered
SG Mehta says that FIR was registered at 11:45 after the cremation of the body and videography was done after the senior doctors and colleagues of the victim insisted for it and which means they also suspected something
The Supreme Court on Thursday asked doctors protesting over the rape and murder case of a postgraduate medic at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College to resume work, and assured them that no adverse action will be taken once they rejoin.
"Once they get back to duty, we will prevail upon authorities to not take adverse action. How will public health infrastructure run if the doctors do not work," the bench, also comprising Justice J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said.
If there is difficulty after that then come to us, but let them first report to work, the bench said
Amid the nationwide protest of the doctors against Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College & Hospital Rape and murder incident, several patients await check-ups at Delhi's RML Hospital.
Taking to X, he wrote, “Over the past 10 days, while the nation has been protesting against the #RGKarMedicalcollege incident and demanding justice, 900 RAPES have occurred across different parts of India - DURING THE VERY TIME WHEN PEOPLE WERE ON THE STREETS PROTESTING AGAINST THIS HORRIBLE CRIME.
Sadly, a lasting solution still remains largely undiscussed."
"On the request of the Delhi Bar Council, all the courts are protesting, all the lawyers are wearing black ribbon today. The way Kolkata incident happened, and such cases have become rampant with incidents everyday, it has shattered our soul. The SC CJI has also given assurances. Doctors, lawyers should get protection. The Centre should take strict steps without any delay," says Vice Chairman of Bar Council of Delhi Sanjeev Nasiar as lawyers are wearing black ribbon as symbolic protest to the Kolkata rape and murder incident.
Supreme Court says let the health professionals return to work and once they return to duties the court will prevail upon authorities to not take adverse action.
Supreme Court says how would the public health infrastructure function if doctors did not return to work.
Supreme Court begins hearing on suo motu petition on the rape and murder of a doctor in state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal
The indefinite protest by resident doctors here against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee medic in a Kolkata hospital entered the 11th day on Thursday despite the Supreme Court requesting protesters to resume work. Patient services in hospitals across Delhi have been severely affected by the protest.
"We don't understand the basis for selecting the task force members. There should have been representation from resident doctors, which is what we have been advocating for.
"Additionally, there should be representation from professors of government medical colleges as acts of violence are predominantly observed in government hospitals, not in private facilities," an official of the doctors' body said as quoted by PTI.
Healthcare services at state-run hospitals in West Bengal continued to remain affected on Thursday as junior doctors persisted with their strike for the 14th day. Despite the West Bengal government’s efforts to address the situation by transferring three RGKMCH officials and canceling the former principal Sandip Ghosh’s new posting at Calcutta Medical College and Hospital (CNMC), the striking doctors have vowed to continue their protest.
While speaking to news agency PTI, one of the agitating doctors said, “Our agitation will continue as only part of our demands have been met. We have the main demand for the justice of our sister yet to be fulfilled. We will wait and see today's development at the Supreme Court and decide after that."
Former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Ghosh arrives at CBI office
As Supreme Court to hear the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case again today, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla said, “... The case has shaken the conscience of the country, but unfortunately, it has not shaken the conscience of Mamata Banerjee. She continues to be brazen rather than resign. The institutional systematic cover-up done by the West Bengal government and police has been exposed by the Supreme Court."
"The High Court and even the parents of students have spoken about how Mamata Banerjee's government is not in the interest of getting justice for the victim, but she is hell-bent on 'balatkari bachao, saboot mitao, sach chhupao'. The Kolkata Police, instead of taking action against TMC Ministers who are speaking ill against the protesting doctors, are taking action against civilians and doctors. Now Kunal Ghosh has compared this incident to Pulwama. What is he trying to imply and why is he trivialising this issue? TMC has no sensitivity about this case and their only attempt is to save the accused..."
The Supreme Court hearing on the Kolkata rape-murder case will resume shorlty. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is set to file a status report today on the investigation in the case. In addition to this, West Bengal police also has to give report on vandalism probe.
AIIMS Delhi authorities have announced a security audit in the hospital amid the ongoing protest by its doctors demanding security at the working place following the rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar medical college and hospital.
Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, Dr Rima Dada, AIIMS spokesperson said, "Our director M Srinivas has assured safety and security to our doctors. He has formed two committees for it. One committee will address their immediate concerns. A collaborated internal security audit will happen".
CBI to file status report on the investigation while West Bengal police also has to give report on vandalism probe.
