HC directs state to engage RG Kar protest face at same hosp

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the Bengal government to engage Aniket Mahato, one of the prominent faces of a protest movement over the rape-murder of a postgraduate trainee at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, at the same medical establishment as a senior resident in the Anaesthesiology department.

Holding that the decision of the state to deploy Mahato at Raiganj Medical College and Hospital in Uttar Dinajpur district violates the principle of reasonableness, Justice Biswajit Basu said that the

state has committed a serious wrong, which demands intervention.

Setting aside Mahato’s deployment at Raiganj Medical College and Hospital as per a notification of May 27, 2025 as a senior resident, the court directed the state to engage him at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in the department of Anaesthesiology with immediate effect.

A prayer by the state’s lawyer for a stay of operation of the order till October 7 for moving an appeal against the judgment was refused by Justice Basu.