Kolkata Rape Murder: SC Grants NTF Three Weeks to Submit Recommendations on Doctors’ Safety

The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted the National Task Force (NTF) three weeks to submit its recommendations on ensuring safe working conditions for medical professionals. The bench, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, expressed concern over the lack of progress by the NTF, noting that no meetings had taken place since the first week of September.

The court directed the Centre to take proactive steps to ensure the NTF completes its work on time, urging that future meetings be held regularly. The NTF and its subgroups were instructed to submit tentative recommendations by the next hearing. The case was adjourned until after the Diwali vacation.

Background: RG Kar Medical College Case

The court was hearing a suo motu petition related to the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal, on August 9, 2024. The doctor, who was on a 36-hour duty shift, was found murdered and allegedly raped in the hospital’s seminar room. In response, the court had established the NTF on August 20, 2024, to develop an action plan to prevent violence against medical professionals and improve working conditions.

Senior Advocate Rakesh Dwivedi informed the court that the West Bengal government had filed an affidavit assuring the court that security upgrades at RG Kar Medical College would be completed by October 31. The state government also committed to finalizing security improvements at all 28 medical colleges in West Bengal by October 25.

Additionally, the state had set up a state-level grievance redressal committee to conduct security audits and deployed additional security personnel in hospitals. The Supreme Court also asked the West Bengal government to provide details about the recruitment of civic police volunteers and the measures taken to prevent their deployment in sensitive institutions.

CBI Updates on Investigations

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta updated the court that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed a chargesheet against Sanjoy Roy, the accused in the rape and murder case at RG Kar Medical College, and that the relevant court had taken cognisance of the chargesheet.

The CBI also reported on its ongoing investigation into financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College. The Supreme Court allowed both investigations to continue and requested further status reports from the CBI within three weeks.