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Kolkata Rape-Murder: SC Directs CBI to Submit Fresh Status Report by September 17

The Supreme Court raises concern over missing crucial document for doctor's postmortem

 
Next hearing is scheduled for September 17, 2024

The Supreme Court has ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a fresh status report in the ongoing investigation of the Kolkata rape and murder case. The next hearing is scheduled for September 17, 2024. The case involves the rape and murder of a postgraduate doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, along with Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, began hearing the case again on September 9, 2024. The investigation took a significant turn after the victim's parents accused the Kolkata police of bribery and negligence.

SC Concern Over Missing Documents
During the hearing, the bench expressed concern over missing post-mortem transfer documents. The Court noted that key documents related to the transfer of the victim’s body for post-mortem were missing. The CBI has been asked to investigate the reasons for the absence of these critical documents.

The Court also highlighted that the victim’s clothing was not sealed properly when sent for the post-mortem, and there was a delay of 14 hours in filing the First Information Report (FIR).

Medical Report Confirms Homicide
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta presented a medical report that confirmed sexual assault. The report stated that the cause of death was manual strangulation, classifying the incident as a homicide. The CBI will send the medical evidence to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for further testing. 

Sanjay Roy is still the only accused in the case involving the rape and murder of the RG Kar Hospital doctor, according to the past 30 days of investigation. The Kolkata Police and later the CBI have led the probe, with the CBI interrogating nearly 100 witnesses and conducting 12 polygraph tests.

Doctors Strike and Court's Directive
The Supreme Court also addressed the ongoing doctors’ strike, which was initiated in protest of the rape and murder case. The West Bengal government informed the Court that 23 people have lost their lives due to the strike. 

Chief Justice Chandrachud urged the protesting doctors to resume work by September 10, 2024. He warned that failure to comply would allow the state government to take disciplinary action against them. The West Bengal government assured the Court that no punitive action, including transfers, would be taken against the doctors if they return to work.

Victim’s Photos to be Removed from Social Media
The Supreme Court ordered the immediate removal of the victim’s photographs from all social media platforms and electronic media. The Court emphasized the importance of protecting the dignity and privacy of the deceased.

Allegations Against West Bengal Government
The central government filed an application accusing the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government of not cooperating with the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which has been deployed to provide security at the hospital. The bench will also consider this issue in the upcoming hearing.