Kolkata rape-murder case: SC praises CBI progress in probe, slams West Bengal govt over tardiness in implementing safety reforms

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday commenced its hearing on the suo motu case related to the rape and murder of a postgraduate medical student at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
During the hearing, the bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, along with Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, remarked that "substantial leads have come into the investigation report by the CBI," indicating significant progress in the probe.However, the bench also expressed concern over social media posts disclosing the victim's name and photos, directing the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to appoint a nodal officer to handle any unauthorized online publications.
The Supreme Court further addressed the tardy progress made by the West Bengal government in installing CCTV cameras and constructing separate toilets and resting rooms for healthcare workers at medical facilities. The bench directed the state government to complete these ongoing works by October 15. "The progress is slow and inadequate," the court noted, emphasizing the need for urgent improvements.
In reviewing the CBI's status report, the court refrained from sharing specific details to avoid jeopardizing the ongoing investigation. The bench also pointed out that resident doctors in West Bengal are not performing their inpatient and outpatient duties, as reported by the state government.
The top court also directed Tushar Mehta to submit report on progress of National Task Force, posts hearing in Kolkata rape-murder case to October 14.
On September 17, the court had expressed its disquiet over the findings in the CBI's report, while on September 9, it flagged the absence of the "challan," a key document for postmortem, in the records and sought a report from the West Bengal government.
The Supreme Court had earlier criticized the Kolkata Police for delaying the registration of the unnatural death case. Referring to the timeline of events and procedural lapses as "extremely disturbing," the court questioned the police's handling of the case. The rape and murder, which occurred inside the hospital’s seminar hall, has led to nationwide protests and calls for justice.
"This incident is nothing short of horrific," the bench remarked, condemning the delay in filing the First Information Report (FIR) and the subsequent vandalism of the hospital by protestors.
The victim, a junior doctor, was found dead on August 9 with severe injuries. Kolkata Police arrested a civic volunteer the following day in connection with the crime. On August 13, the Calcutta High Court transferred the investigation to the CBI, which formally began its probe on August 14.
In response to the tragic incident, the Supreme Court has constituted a 10-member National Task Force (NTF) to develop protocols ensuring the safety and security of doctors and other healthcare professionals across the country.