The RG Kar rape and murder case has been transferred to a new division bench of the Calcutta High Court, with Chief Justice Sujoy Paul on Saturday, 17 May 2025 directing that all connected petitions will now be heard by Justice Shampa Sarkar and Justice Tirthankar Ghosh. The development comes amid a flurry of fresh legal activity from the victim's family, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the convicted accused himself.

Key Developments Before the New Bench

The victim's family has filed a fresh application in the High Court seeking a CBI probe into the events of 9 August 2024 — the day the body of the woman doctor was recovered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. Separately, their counsel has also petitioned the court for permission to visit the crime scene at the hospital. The CBI, meanwhile, has filed an application seeking capital punishment for convicted accused Sanjay Roy, who was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Sealdah court on 20 January 2025. Roy himself has approached the High Court claiming innocence.

Why the Bench Changed

The case has seen repeated bench changes within the Calcutta High Court. On 12 May 2025, the division bench of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha recused itself, observing that 'this important case needs to be heard quickly.' Chief Justice Paul's bench then constituted the new division bench. Earlier, the case had moved between multiple benches, and proceedings had also been heard at the Supreme Court level before the apex court directed that the Calcutta High Court hear the matter.

What the Earlier Bench Had Observed

Before its recusal, Justice Mantha's bench had taken a notably firm stance on several issues. On the victim's family's request to visit the crime scene, the bench had questioned the state government's objection, noting: 'The family of the deceased has wanted to visit the crime scene anew. The CBI has no objection to that. Then what is the objection of the state? Because they are not even a party to the case. If the family files a new affidavit and the CBI wants to proceed with the investigation, why would the state object?' The bench had also held that Sanjay Roy's acquittal plea and the CBI's death penalty application should be heard simultaneously.

Background: The Case So Far

The body of the trainee doctor was recovered on 9 August 2024 at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Kolkata Police arrested civic volunteer Sanjay Roy the following day. The CBI subsequently took over the investigation on the Calcutta High Court's directions. On 18 January 2025, the Sealdah court found Roy guilty; Judge Anirban Das sentenced him to life imprisonment two days later. The victim's parents had approached the High Court with concerns over the CBI investigation even before the verdict, and those proceedings eventually reached the Supreme Court, where then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna directed the matter back to the Calcutta High Court.

What Happens Next

According to reports, lawyers representing the victim's family are likely to seek an urgent hearing before the new bench on Monday, 19 May 2025. The new division bench of Justice Shampa Sarkar and Justice Tirthankar Ghosh will now consolidate all pending petitions — including the crime scene visit plea, the CBI's death penalty application, and Roy's innocence claim — and is expected to set a fresh hearing schedule.