New Delhi [India]: The Supreme Court on Tuesday questioned West Bengal police over various issues, including delay in filing the First Information Report, delay in handing over the body to family and alleged failure to protect women, doctors, during a mob attack at RG Kar Medical College. The court has also asked the medical professionals to return to their duties.
A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud also comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Mishra questioned West Bengal police about the delay in lodging FIR in the RG Kar incident.
The Supreme Court, which has taken suo motu cognisance of the rape and murder of a doctor in State-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal, raised these queries when it was hearing the matter. The top court has also set up a national task force to consider the issues related to the safety of medical professionals in the country.
The top court said that it is deeply concerned about the safety of doctors across India. “If women cannot go to work and be safe, we are denying them the basic right to equality. We have to do something” the court said.
The top court raised doubt on the principle of the college for trying to pass it off as suicide and the parents are not allowed to see the body. The court also questioned WB government over the three hours delay on registration of the FIR and said it appears crime was detected on early hours of the morning and no FIR was filed. It further said that until late night there is no FIR saying it is a clear case of murder.
Responding to the Supreme Court question, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal said that the inquest shows it was a case of murder. He also said that a matter relating to unnatural death was registered after the incident.
CJI DY Chandrachud remarked it as a serious offence that has taken place in hospital and asked the police what are they doing? Allowing vandalists to enter the hospital, SC further asked.
The court also sought to know about the first informant and other facts. The court also sought to know when was the body handed over to the parents for cremation? The top court noted that the body was handed over at 8:30 pm for cremation and the FIR is registered at 11:45 pm, which reflects delay of over three hours after the body was handed over for cremation.
During the hearing the court was also apprised of the fact about an incident when the women doctors were threatened by a mob in the RG Hospital, the police had ran away from the spot. Senior Advocate Aprajita Singh, appearing for an organisation for doctors shared these facts to the court. She also told the Court that many doctors have left the hospital after this incident.
She informed the court that police officials stationed at the RG Kar Hospital ran away during the vandalism and hid in the Nurses’ Dressing Room when the mob was attacking the hospital. The top court called it as serious issue and asked what the police were doing. “How can the police run away from the site?” the top court asked.
The top court remarked that it is essential for creating a safe environment for the doctors in the country. The top court directed to deploy sufficient CISF personnel in the RG Kar hospital for the safety of the doctors. The top court also asked the medical professionals all over the country to return to their work.