Supreme Court to Hear Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder Case Tomorrow
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Synopsis
The Supreme Court is set to hear the case regarding the rape and murder of a junior doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College in Kolkata, having taken suo moto cognizance. The West Bengal government is also challenging the life sentence of the convict, seeking the death penalty.
Key Takeaways
- Suo moto hearing by the Supreme Court on a heinous crime.
- West Bengal government challenges life sentence of the convict.
- Death penalty sought by the state for the accused.
- Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee advocates for capital punishment.
- Supreme Court expresses concerns over doctor safety nationwide.
New Delhi, Jan 21 (NationPress) The Supreme Court is set to hear on Wednesday the case in which it has taken suo moto cognizance of the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
According to the causelist published on the apex court's website, a bench led by CJI Sanjiv Khanna, which includes Justices Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan, will continue the hearing of this suo moto case on January 22.
In the meantime, the West Bengal government approached the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday, contesting the verdict of a Kolkata special court that sentenced Sanjay Roy, the lone accused in the rape and murder case, to life imprisonment.
A division bench consisting of Justices Debangshu Basak and Shabbar Rashidi of the Calcutta High Court accepted the state's appeal, which seeks the death penalty for the convict.
On the previous day, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that the Bengal government would challenge the sentence in the Calcutta High Court, seeking a harsher penalty for the convict.
"I firmly believe that this is indeed one of the rarest of rare cases warranting capital punishment. We aim to push for the death penalty in this profoundly disturbing case," the Chief Minister stated.
While delivering the sentence, special court judge Anirban Das remarked that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) claim regarding Roy's crime being among the rarest was not convincing. Thus, the judge decided to sentence Roy, a former civic volunteer linked to the Kolkata Police, to life imprisonment instead of the death penalty.
Additionally, a fine of Rs 50,000 was imposed on Roy. The special court instructed the West Bengal government to provide Rs 17 lakh in compensation to the victim's family, noting that since the crime occurred at a state-run facility, the government is obligated to compensate the victim's relatives.
In a prior hearing in November 2024, the Supreme Court had indicated that it would not order the trial's relocation outside West Bengal. A bench, led by then CJI D.Y. Chandrachud, rejected a request from a lawyer for the transfer of the trial.
"Yes, we have moved cases (of gender violence) from Manipur. However, we are not considering that here," it stated. The apex court acknowledged that the trial is set to commence on November 11 at a special court in Kolkata following the framing of charges against the sole prime accused, Sanjay Roy.
The charge framing process was completed on November 4, precisely 87 days after the body of the junior doctor was found in a seminar hall at the R.G. Kar premises on the morning of August 9, 2024.
In October, the CBI submitted its initial charge sheet against Roy, a civic volunteer with the Kolkata Police, in connection with the alleged rape and murder case. The charge sheet suggested the possibility of a larger conspiracy behind this heinous act, indicating that there were attempts to tamper with and alter evidence during the initial stages of the investigation conducted by the Kolkata Police.
Besides Roy, two other individuals arrested by CBI officials in this matter are Sandip Ghosh, the former Principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, and Abhijit Mondal, the former SHO of the Tala Police Station. RG Kar falls under the jurisdiction of Tala Police Station.
The primary allegations against Ghosh and Mondal involve misleading the investigation while the Kolkata Police were handling the case before it was transferred to the CBI by the Calcutta High Court. Both are accused of tampering with evidence related to the case.
Upon taking suo moto cognizance of the junior doctor's rape and murder case, the Supreme Court labeled the incident as horrific, highlighting the systemic issue of safety for doctors nationwide. "We are profoundly concerned about the lack of safe working conditions for young doctors across the country, especially in public hospitals," it stated.
The apex court has mandated the establishment of a National Task Force (NTF) to propose measures for the protection of medical professionals nationwide, asserting that the safety of doctors is a paramount national concern.
