Kolkata Rape Murder Case SC Hearing Highlights: No action against doctors; CJI refuses plea seeking CM’s resignation

Kolkata rape-murder case: "What the CBI has revealed in the report is really disturbing. What you are flagging is of utmost concern. We ourselves are concerned, CBI has flagged it for us. We are ourselves disturbed by what we have read," the Supreme Court said

Kolkata rape-murder case: The Supreme Court today refused to stop streaming of live proceedings in the suo motu case.  The top court said, “it was a matter of public interest and the public must know what is transpiring in the courtroom”. 

Kolkata rape-murder case: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directs Wikipedia to remove name of victim

Kolkata Rape Murder Case Hearing Live: Rejecting the plea seeking resignation of WB Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee the Supreme Court said, “This is not a political forum alright. You are a member of the bar. We do not require your affirmation of what we say. What you say has to abide by the rules of legal discipline.” (PTI)

Kolkata Rape Murder Case Hearing Live: SC adjourns hearing in Kolkata rape-murder case, says it will take up matter after a week.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the CBI to submit a status report on the probe into alleged financial irregularities at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata where a trainee doctor was raped and murdered last month.

The top court also perused the status report filed by the central probe agency concerning the rape and murder incident and said disclosing the status will jeopardise further investigation.

The Supreme Court concluded its hearing for the day on the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape and murder case.

Court will resume at 2 pm to hear other cases.

The Supreme Court refused to entertain a plea seeking Mamata Banerjee's resignation. “..we do not require your affirmation to what we say. what you say has to abide by rules of legal discipline. We are not here to see what you feel about a political functionary..” said the CJI.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has issued a statement, that no ‘punitive action’ will be taken against the doctors, Kapil Sibal told CJI. There will be no action against the doctors for the period they have not worked, he added.

Junior doctors told the SC that they are ready to resume duties if confidence-building measures, agreed upon with the CM on September 16, are implemented. They are planning to hold a general body meeting today to discuss returning to work.

West Bengal govt has informed the SC that it would issue a notification removing the two clauses limiting women doctors' duty hours to 12 hours and prohibiting night duties.

CJI criticised WB government's Ratirer Sathi program that hires contractual workers for ensuring security, and helping doctors. “ ..Then let us face the reality.. sanjoy roy was also such a worker .. who will take responsibility to secure the woman doctors against them.. they do not know who these people are.. they are not the police..,” the CJI questioned Sibal about women doctors' safety.

The Supreme Court ordered for security measures including CCTV, and toilets for doctors to be set up within two weeks. It also questioned West Bengal's decision of hiring contractual staff to ensure safety of doctors, others in hospitals. 

The Chief Justice questioned the West Bengal government on why only 37 CCTV cameras had been installed against the 415 promised cameras at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. He further had questions about SOP, where the lady doctors will rest at night, and so on.

The CJI criticised the WB govt's rule of women not working at night. He stated that the rule has to be corrected, and it was the state's responsibility to ensure safety. SG Tushar Mehta also added that the Centre was willing to provide security, if the state couldn't.

Kapil Sibal said that adequate measures had been taken by the State to ensure security of the doctors. He said that the copies of the same would be shared with the court.

The SC has asked CBI to file status report on probe so far on alleged financial irregularities in medical departments.

Adv Anupam Lal Das appearing for senior doctors said they were working overtime. Meanwhile, adv Indira Jaising said that an agreement had been reached between the senior and junior doctors, which needs to go on record.

SC issued an order to Wikipedia to take down the victim's name and photo to maintain the dignity of the deceased."..Wikipedia shall take steps to comply with previous and injunctions issued in the order shall be complied with," the CJI ordered.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that the victim's photo and name was on the Wkipedia page. SC said that it will pass order directing Wikipedia to remove name and photo of victim.

The SC said it was disturbed by the details of the CBI report. “What CBI has disclosed in the status report is worse ! we are ourselves disturbed by what we have read.. CBI has ourselves told us.,” said CJI. 

Advocates representing the junior doctors questioned why the other clothes of the victim were not sent for post-mortem.

The SC slammed the CBI for the delay in accepting the victim's father's suggestions. “ The father of the deceased has made some suggestions on the leads that should be taken for investigation.. we are not making it public, we will say that these are valuable inputs and CBI should look into this. CBI is itself handicapped by the 5 day delay,” said the CJI.

Senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for the junior doctors, said she is willing to share names of others present at crime scene to CBI in sealed cover.

The SC has looked into the fresh CBI report. It said that disclosing the status will jeopardise further investigation by the agency.

The CJI said that the court would step in, if any of the women lawyers were facing threats. Kapil Sibal alleged that the female advocates of his chamber were facing threats of rape, and acid attack, because of the livestreaming.

Kipal Sibal has requested the Supreme Court to stop the livestream of the hearing. He said that the women lawyers of his chamber were facing threats of rape and acid attacks.

Representing the West Bengal government, advocate Kapil Sibal requested the CJI to stop livestreaming, as it was harming their ‘reputation’. The Chief Justice denied Sibal's request to stop the livestream, stating it was being done in “public interest”.

CJI Chandrachud called for maintaining order in the courtroom. “ Please have some order.. let us not just scream just because people are watching on livestream. Let us have some order please,” said the CJI after Adv. Kapil Sibal wanted to raise some issues.

CJI DY Chandrachud, and Justices Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra have arrived in the courtroom. The Chief Justice has begun the hearing.

Apart from a fresh CBI report, the Bench had also asked the WB govt. to introduce safety measures for doctors at work without waiting for the Supreme Court’s National Task Force to submit its report on reforms

Advocates have started arriving in the courtroom for the hearing. The bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud, and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, will hear the matter.

The Jipmer Resident Doctors’ Association (JRDA) staged a pen-down protest for an hour on Monday to express solidarity with the protesting doctors in Kolkata.

Mamata Banerjee finally accepted West Bengal junior doctors' demands after a six hour long meeting on Monday. The CM had called out to the protesting medicos for a “fifth and final meeting”.

Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers started simultaneous raids at six locations in Kolkata, alleging ‘financial irregularities’ at R.G Kar Medical College and Hospital. “ We have certain inputs due to which these raids are being conducted,” an official said.

Accepting the protesting doctor's demands, Mamata Banerjee has said that Kolkata CP Vineet Goyal will be removed after 4pm today. Goyal will hand over his responsibilities to a new CP.

Following the doctor's meet, West Bengal Chief Minister said that she will not comment on the Kolkata rape, doctor murder case as the SC will continue hearing the matter. She said three out of four demands of the protesting doctors have been accepted.

“The people of Bengal were calling for action, and she eventually gave in to their demands. However, BJP believes this is a systematic failure, and the real responsibility lies with Mamata Banerjee herself,” said Sukanta Majumder, criticising the West Bengal Chief Minister.

The Enforcement Directorate is conducting raids at the residence of Dr. Sudipto Roy, a TMC MLA. He is also the head of the Patients Welfare Committee at RG Kar Medical College, and Hospital.

The bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud has also sought a fresh status report by the CBI. The bench, comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, also asked the West Bengal police to produce a document related to the autopsy of the victim.

RG Kar SC hearing LIVE: The Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud will hear the case at 10:30 am. Earlier, the court had asked protesting doctors in Bengal to resume duties.

RG Kar SC hearing LIVE: The Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud will hear the case on Tuesday, September 17.