A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra is set to hear the alleged rape and murder case of a junior doctor of RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata today, August 20.
The apex court has taken suo motu cognizance of the horrific incident after the Calcutta High Court decided to transfer the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) due to dissatisfaction with the initial investigation in the case.
It is also suggested that the top court may address the acts of vandalism that occurred at the hospital on the night of August 14, potentially expanding the scope of the hearing to include related issues of violence and public unrest. The suo motu case in the matter is titled “In Re: Alleged rape and murder incident of a trainee doctor in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, and related issue.”
The plea also seeks investigation in the nationwide protests and strikes of the resident doctors regarding the crime. Doctors' bodies the Federation of Association of Medical Consultants of India (FAMCI) and the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA), and lawyer Vishal Tiwari have also moved the top court by filing interim applications in the suo motu case.
FAMCI raised concerns about the safety and security of healthcare workers inside hospitals and medical facilities. Doctors' bodies demanded a central law to address these concerns and urged the central government to address the issues in state-wise safety laws.
CBI on Monday was granted permission to conduct a polygraph test of prime accused Sanjay Roy in the brutal rape and murder. CBI, on Saturday, carried out the psychoanalysis test of the accused, Roy, who is now in the agency's custody. The Kolkata Police had arrested him a day after the postgraduate trainee doctor's body was found in the seminar hall of the chest department of the RG Kar Hospital between 3 am and 5 am on Friday.