Kolkata doctor death: SC asks CBI to submit fresh status report, next hearing on 17 Sep

The Supreme Court on Monday, 9 September told the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a fresh status report on the ghastly rape and murder of a junior doctor at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata last month.

After perusal of the status report filed by the CBI in terms of the previous order of the apex court, a bench presided over by CJI DY Chandrachud said, “We have now seen the further line of the ongoing investigation. We do not want to comment anything in the open court. We will give you a week’s time to tell us what further leads have emerged in the course of the investigation.”

The bench, also comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, was hearing the suo moto case titled "Alleged rape and murder incident of a trainee doctor in R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, and related issues".

It asked the CBI to file a fresh report within a week and posted the matter for further consideration on 17 September.

In a hearing held on 22 August, the Supreme Court asked the CBI to continue the investigation, apart from taking on record the status report filed by the CBI as well by the Kolkata Police in relation to the vandalisation of the hospital premises on the night of 14 August.

Further, it asked the National Task Force (NTF), set up by the government on its direction, to give a hearing to diverse medical associations while formulating effective recommendations relating to the safety, working conditions and well-being of doctors and medical professionals.

Taking suo moto cognizance of the rape and murder case of the trainee doctor at a Kolkata hospital, the CJI-led bench termed the incident "horrific", which raises the "systemic issue of safety of doctors across the country".

"We are deeply concerned with the fact that there is an absence of safe conditions of work for young doctors across the country, particularly, public hospitals," it said.

The top court ordered the formation of a national task force to suggest measures for the security of medical professionals across the country, observing that the safety of doctors is the “highest national concern”.