Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: In a stern message during the hearing of the Kolkata rape-murder case, the Supreme Court declared that the nation cannot afford to wait for another tragedy to enact real changes on the ground. The Chief Justice of India (CJI), DY Chandrachud, expressed strong dissatisfaction with the West Bengal government and RG Kar Medical College and Hospital for delays and procedural failures in handling the case.
“Medical professionals, especially women, are increasingly vulnerable to violence due to deep-rooted patriarchal biases,” CJI Chandrachud remarked. “As more women join the workforce, the nation cannot wait for another rape for things to change on the ground.”
The Supreme Court is currently investigating the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old post-graduate trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College on August 9. The incident has sparked widespread protests and raised serious concerns about the safety of women, particularly in medical institutions.
The CJI-led bench, which also includes Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, raised critical questions about the actions of both the hospital administration and the local police. The bench questioned why the First Information Report (FIR) was registered three hours after the victim’s body was handed over for cremation, highlighting the significant delays and mishandling by the authorities.
“What was the principal doing? Why was the FIR not filed promptly? A serious offence has taken place in a hospital—what are they doing? Allowing vandals to enter the hospital?” questioned CJI Chandrachud.
Kapil Sibal, representing the West Bengal government, attempted to defend the hospital’s actions, stating that photos were taken, an unnatural death case was initiated, and a judicial board was present. However, CJI Chandrachud emphasized that it was the hospital’s duty to file the FIR, particularly in the absence of the victim’s parents.
Justice Pardiwala also scrutinized the timeline of the FIR, questioning the delay in its filing. Sibal explained that the victim’s father filed the FIR at 11:45 pm, followed by the hospital’s Vice Principal. Despite this, the bench pointed out that the body was handed over at 8:30 pm, while the FIR was registered three hours later.
The CJI further criticized the actions of Sandip Ghosh, who resigned as the principal of RG Kar Medical College two days after the incident. Ghosh has been under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and was questioned for nearly 53 hours regarding his response to the incident.
In a controversial move, Ghosh was briefly reassigned as principal to another medical college, a decision that was met with protests from students and junior doctors. The Calcutta High Court has since directed the West Bengal Health Department to refrain from appointing Ghosh to any other medical institution until further notice.
