Supreme Court to hear RG Kar College suo moto case on September 30

New Delhi: The Supreme Court is slated to hear on Monday the matter where it has taken suo moto cognisance of the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata last month.

As per the causelist published on the website of the apex court, a three-judge Bench, headed by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud will resume hearing the suo moto case on September 30.

Last week, the Bench, also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, decided to postpone the hearing scheduled on September 27, on the West Bengal government’s request.

In the previous hearing, the top court raised concerns after its attention was drawn to a state government order requiring women doctors to not be employed at night.

After the SC's intervention, the West Bengal government assured the apex court that any conditions which cast a cloud on the basic Constitutional premise of gender equality will not be enforced.

Further, it reiterated that no adverse or punitive action should be taken against the doctors who return to work.

During the hearing, the top court observed that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe was intending to unearth “absolute truth” and “further truth” of the alleged murder and rape incident.

After perusal of the fresh status report of the CBI, the CJI Chandrachud-led Bench said, “We have looked at the status report of the CBI. Making a disclosure today about what the CBI is doing will jeopardise the course of the investigation.

“The line of further CBI investigation intends to unearth absolute truth and further truth. All of you know, apart from the principal, there has been an arrest of the SHO himself. He is in custody of the CBI and significant pieces of investigation would be revealed in the course of the investigation.”

“Please rest assured, the CBI apart from performing its own independent responsibilities, has also responded to the issues raised in the course of the last hearing,” it added.

The Supreme Court stressed that the central investigation agency must be given adequate time and any attempt to close the investigation within a time-bound manner will “dislocate” the purpose of the CBI probe.

“We all are interested in ensuring a proper investigation to reach the ultimate truth, which is being carried out by the CBI,” said the CJI-led Bench.

Taking suo moto cognisance of the rape and murder case of the trainee doctor at a Kolkata hospital, the Supreme Court had termed the incident "horrific," which raises the "systemic issue of safety of doctors across the country".

"We are deeply concerned with the fact that there is an absence of safe conditions of work for young doctors across the country, particularly, public hospitals," it had said.

The top court ordered the formation of a National Task Force (NTF) to suggest measures for the security of medical professionals across the country, observing that the safety of doctors is the "highest national concern".

Further, it asked the NTF, set up by the government on its direction, to give a hearing to diverse medical associations while formulating effective recommendations relating to the safety, working conditions and well-being of doctors and medical professionals.