RG Kar rape-murder case: Supreme Court refuses to move trial outside West Bengal – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to move the rape and murder case against a Calcutta doctor outside West Bengal. The bench, headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, affirmed that the trial court judge had sufficient power to order additional investigation if deemed necessary after assessing the evidence.
The court reviewed the sixth status report of the CBI regarding the rape and murder case at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Calcutta, but withheld comment while investigations continued.
The court notes that the charges against the main suspect Sanja Roywere framed before a court in Kolkata on November 4, and daily trials would begin from November 11.
The national task force (NTF), established to develop safety protocols for healthcare professionals, presented its findings during the proceedings.
The court directed that the NTF’s findings be circulated to all states and union territories, with the next hearing scheduled in four weeks.
On October 15, the court questioned the West Bengal government over the recruitment of volunteers from the civilian population, seeking detailed information about their selection process.
The court on September 30 expressed displeasure over the state’s slow progress in installation of CCTV and construction of toilets and rest rooms in government medical facilities, fixing October 15 as the deadline for completion.
On September 17, the court expressed concern over the findings of the CBI status report but avoided details to protect the ongoing investigation.
Earlier, on September 9, the court expressed concern over the missing ‘challan’ document for the doctor’s autopsy and sought a report from the state government.
On August 22, the court criticized the Kolkata Police for the delayed registration of cases, describing the timeline of events as “extremely disturbing”.
The court established a 10-member NTF to establish safety protocols for healthcare professionals.
The court strongly criticized the state government for the delayed FIR filing and inadequate crowd control at the vandalized state facility, describing the incident as “heinous”.
The doctor’s death, with visible injuries, sparked nationwide protests. The initial investigation led to the arrest of a civilian volunteer by the Kolkata Police the next day.
On August 13, the Calcutta High Court transferred the investigation from the Kolkata Police to the CBI, which began its work on August 14.