Hours after the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday ordered the transfer of the probe into the alleged rape and death of a woman doctor to the Central Bureau of Investigation, the central probe agency completed formalities and is supposed to send a team of CBI officials from Delhi along with forensic scientists and medical experts on Wednesday.
The HC also urged the protesting doctors to call off their casework and posed several questions at the state government after looking at the case diary.
The body of the postgraduate trainee, who was allegedly raped and murdered inside a seminar hall of the state-run RG Kar hospital, was found on Friday morning. A civic volunteer was arrested in this connection on Saturday.
Junior doctors and interns across West Bengal continued their ceasework on Tuesday, protesting against the incident and demanding adequate protection to hospital staff.
Kolkata Doctor Rape Case: Calcutta High Court Hearing | Top Points
The trainee doctor's parents went to the High Court, asking for the court to oversee an investigation into the case. Several other public interest litigations (PILs) were also filed, requesting that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) look into it.
Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam asked the West Bengal government lawyer why an unnatural death case was registered if there had been no immediate complaint of murder.
While reviewing the petitions, the division bench noted that "something is missing" from the investigation.
The court asked if the former principal of the medical college, Sandip Ghosh, had given a statement. The state lawyer responded saying that he had not.
Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya who is also part of the HC bench questioned how the principal of RG Kar Hospital, who had resigned, was quickly reinstated as the principal of Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital.
The court asked his lawyer to provide both the resignation letter and the appointment letter.
The court also told Ghosh's lawyer to make sure he takes a long leave by 3 pm (before the court began hearing in the second half), or else the court would make further orders.
In response to the Court's questions, the state's lawyer said that the Kolkata Police are conducting a transparent investigation into the case.
When the court asked the state how they would prevent the destruction of evidence, as some petitioners' lawyers had claimed, the government lawyer responded that the investigation is being led by a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) and supervised by an additional commissioner of Kolkata Police.
The state's counsel also submitted that one person has been arrested and statements of more than 25 people have been recorded.
The court directed the Kolkata Police to hand over the case diary to the central probe agency by this evening, and all other documents by 10 am on Wednesday.
Passing the order, the court said even after five days, no significant progress had been made in the investigation into the case by the Kolkata Police.
The high court also urged agitating doctors in the state to call off their ceasework, saying they have a “pious obligation”.
The bench said it is truly appreciative of the feelings vented by the doctors and interns over the incident while also suggesting the state government to hold a dialogue with the agitating doctors.
CBI Takes Over Case From Kolkata Police
The probe agency on Tuesday evening swiftly completed all formalities following the High Court order asking the state police to hand over the case documents to the central probe agency, officials said.
According to the laid down procedure, the CBI has re-registered the FIR of the Kolkata Police. Whenever the CBI takes over a case from any state police, it starts with the registration of the police FIR as its own case.
The final report of the agency giving its findings is submitted before a special court which may or may not differ with the allegations in the FIR.
(With PTI inputs)
