SC takes suo motu cognisance of Kolkata doctor rape-murder case, hearing on August 20
New Delhi, Aug 18 : The Supreme Court on Sunday took suo motu cognisance of the alleged rape and murder of a resident doctor at RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata and will hear the case on August 20.
A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, and including Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, will hear the matter on Tuesday.
Several petitions have been filed with the Supreme Court urging the Chief Justice to take the case on a suo motu basis and hear it. The petitions argue that the Court should address the matter on its own initiative, given the “brutal and horrific nature” of the murder of the doctor.
Notably, the body of the PG trainee doctor was discovered in a seminar room at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. A civic volunteer was arrested the next day for his alleged involvement in the crime.
The junior doctors have been demanding that the culprits be punished as quickly as possible, and the post-mortem examination report of the victim be made public.
The incident has sparked widespread protests across the country, with medical professionals and others demanding justice for the victim and calling for improved measures for women’s safety.
The Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the case investigation from the Kolkata Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on August 13, criticising the police for their laxity.
The HC transferred the investigation to the CBI after hearing petitions filed by the victim’s parents and several other individuals.
The CBI began its investigation on August 14.
On Saturday afternoon, a group of CBI officers went to the Kar Medical College and Hospital and carried out certain investigations there. There, they collected some samples and sent them to the Central Forensic Laboratory for testing, an officer said.
CBI officers have also prepared a list of around 40 people, including doctors, police officers, whom they would be questioning as part of their ongoing investigation, the officer said.
-PTI
