New Delhi : On Thursday, the Supreme Court of India strongly condemned the Kolkata Police for their handling of the rape and murder case involving a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The scathing remarks came from a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, with Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra also on the panel.
During the hearing, Justice Pardiwala expressed astonishment at the Kolkata Police’s procedures, stating, “The entire procedure followed by your state is something which I have not come across in the 30 years of my life.” The bench highlighted the significant delays and mishandling of the case, particularly in registering the unnatural death report.
The court found the delay in recording the case particularly troubling. It was noted that the autopsy of the deceased was conducted on August 9 between 6.10 pm and 7.10 pm, but the unnatural death case was only registered later. The delay in registering the FIR was termed “extremely disturbing” by the bench.
Chief Justice Chandrachud questioned why the crime scene was only cordoned off after the postmortem was performed. “It appears the crime scene was only cordoned off after postmortem at night. Why was there a delay in this aspect? You knew it was an unnatural death in the morning itself,” the CJI remarked.
The Supreme Court has instructed the Kolkata Police officer responsible for registering the initial report to appear at the next hearing and provide details about the timing of the entry. The court is scrutinizing the sequence of events and the timing of legal formalities conducted by the police.
The hearing witnessed intense exchanges between Kapil Sibal, a senior advocate representing the Bengal government, and the bench. Tensions flared when Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), reprimanded Sibal for laughing during the proceedings. “Please do not laugh, a girl has lost her life in the most inhuman way,” Mehta stated.
The Solicitor General further highlighted that the FIR was registered at 11.45 pm, after the trainee doctor’s body had already been cremated, calling it a “most shocking fact.” In response, Kapil Sibal claimed that the delay in FIR registration was due to the victim’s father not permitting it, which he said led to the procedural delay.
The CBI, which assumed control of the investigation on August 13, submitted a status report revealing critical issues in the case. The report indicated that the crime scene had been tampered with, the victim’s family was misled into believing the murder was a suicide, and that the accused, Sanjoy Roy, acted alone. Roy, a civic volunteer with the Kolkata Police, was arrested on August 10, a day after the discovery of the victim’s semi-naked body in the seminar hall of RG Kar Hospital.
The Supreme Court’s scrutiny of the Kolkata Police’s handling of the case underscores the need for accountability and thorough investigation in cases of such gravity. The court’s continued oversight aims to ensure justice for the victim and address the procedural shortcomings highlighted in the case.