Investigation in R.G. Kar case going on with utmost seriousness: CBI tells SC

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) informed the Supreme Court on Tuesday, 15 October, that the investigation in the rape and murder case of a doctor working at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata was going on with "utmost seriousness".

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, submitted the fifth status report of the agency before a bench of Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.

"Investigation was going on in the matter with utmost seriousness. The chargesheet in the matter was filed on 7 October against accused Sanjay Roy and a Sealdah court has taken cognisance," he told the bench.

The top court observed that the CBI report indicated that the agency was probing the role of other persons as a part of its ongoing investigation and sought a further status report within three weeks.

On the issue of the National Task Force (NTF), constituted to make recommendations over the safety and security of medical professionals, the apex court noted that it had held no meeting since the first week of September. The apex court, therefore, directed the Centre to take proactive steps to ensure that the work was completed within a reasonable period of time.

"The meetings of the NTF should happen periodically and all sub groups should hold regular meetings," the bench said while directing it to formulate recommendations on safety of Kolkata doctors within three weeks.

The hearing is currently underway.

On 30 September, the apex court had expressed dissatisfaction over the "tardy" progress made by the West Bengal government over the installation of CCTVs and construction of toilets and separate resting rooms in government medical colleges, and directed the state to complete the ongoing work by 15 October.

On 17 September, the top court said it was disturbed by the findings given in the CBI's status report in the case while refusing to divulge the details and observed that any disclosure may jeopardise the ongoing investigation.

Earlier, on 9 September, the top court had expressed its concern over the absence of the "challan" -- a key document forwarding the body of the junior doctor for postmortem -- from the records placed before it and sought a report from the West Bengal government.

On 22 August, the apex court had pulled up the Kolkata police over the delay in registering the unnatural death case of the woman doctor, calling it "extremely disturbing" and questioned the sequence of events apart from the timing of its procedural formalities.

The top court had constituted a 10-member National Task Force to formulate a protocol for ensuring the safety and security of doctors and other healthcare professionals.

Terming the incident as "horrific", the apex court had censured the state government over the alleged delay in filing of the FIR and allowing thousands of people to vandalise the state-run facility.

The incident, which saw the doctor being killed with her body showing injury marks, had sparked nationwide protests. A civic volunteer was arrested by the Kolkata police in connection with the case the following day of the crime.

On 13 August, the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the probe from the Kolkata police to the CBI, which began its investigation on 14 August.