Kolkata doctor-murder case: Supreme Court seeks clarification on ‘unnatural death’ timing in high-profile case

PTC News Desk: On Monday, the Supreme Court sought clarification on the timing of the report concerning the unnatural death of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital, following the submission of a status report by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

During the hearing, senior advocate Kapil Sibal highlighted a discrepancy, noting that the death certificate for the victim was issued at 1:47 p.m., while the police registered the unnatural death entry at 2:55 p.m. In response, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta contested this, stating that the report was filed at 11:30 p.m. according to official records.

The CBI presented its status report on the investigation in a sealed envelope for the bench’s review. The report’s details were scrutinised by the three-judge bench, which includes Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra.

Sibal also informed the court that 23 people had died due to disruptions caused by ongoing doctor strikes, and he provided a report from the state health department on the matter.

The case was initiated by the Supreme Court suo motu, following the horrific rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor on August 9 at RG Kar Medical College. A civil volunteer has been arrested in connection with the crime, which has led to widespread protests across the country.

On August 20, the Supreme Court described the incident as “horrific” and mandated the creation of a 10-member National Task Force to develop safety protocols for doctors and healthcare professionals.

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The court had previously reprimanded the Kolkata Police on August 22 for delays in registering the case and urged striking doctors to resume their duties, emphasising that “justice and medicine” should continue uninterrupted. The investigation was transferred from the Kolkata Police to the CBI following a directive from the Calcutta High Court.

On September 3, the central government approached the Supreme Court with allegations of inadequate support for the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) deployed at RG Kar Hospital, accusing the Mamata Banerjee-led state government of “unpardonable” non-cooperation. The Centre requested that the court instruct state authorities to fully cooperate with the CISF and sought contempt proceedings against officials for “willful non-compliance” if the directive was not adhered to.

In response to the tragedy, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Kolkata on Sunday night, demanding justice for the victim. Demonstrators, including people of all ages, formed human chains, wrote graffiti, held torches, sang the national anthem, and waved the Indian tricolour.

Also Read: Kolkata doctor-murder case: Supreme Court reviews CBIs status report on ongoing probe