Senior advocate Kapil Sibal informed the Supreme Court on Monday that 23 people have tragically died due to disruptions in medical services caused by a strike following the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital in August. Sibal, representing the West Bengal government, submitted this information during a hearing where the court took suo motu cognizance of the case.
Sibal also stated that the state government has filed a status report on the investigation into the rape and murder. However, the solicitor general countered that they had not yet received the report. The bench, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, reviewed the report, which was submitted in a sealed cover.
The incident, which has triggered widespread outrage, led to a strike by junior doctors demanding justice for the victim. The Calcutta High Court has handed over the sensitive case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Despite the probe being underway for nearly a month, only one individual, Sanjay Roy, has been arrested in connection with the case.
A CBI official disclosed that missing evidence from the crime scene has severely hampered the investigation, making it difficult to connect key elements. In a surprising turn, the agency revealed that Dr. Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College, ordered the demolition of a restroom and toilet near the crime scene just a day after the trainee doctor’s body was discovered.
The Union Home Ministry has also weighed in, filing an application in which it expressed concerns over the West Bengal government’s alleged failure to support the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is responsible for security at the hospital. The ministry described this lack of cooperation as indicative of a broader issue and urged the Supreme Court to direct the state government to provide full logistical support to the CISF.
