SC upholds live streaming of RG Kar case; asks CBI to file status report on probe into 'financial irregularities
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to halt the live streaming of proceedings in the suo motu case concerning the rape and murder of a postgraduate medic at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The bench, comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, emphasized that it was a matter of public interest, and the public must be informed of what transpires in the courtroom. The medic's body, bearing severe injury marks, was discovered on August 9, and a civic volunteer was arrested by Kolkata Police the following day. On August 13, the Calcutta High Court transferred the investigation from Kolkata Police to the CBI, which began its probe on August 14. The top court also examined the CBI's status report on the case and cautioned that disclosing its contents would jeopardize further investigation.
During the hearing, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the West Bengal government, urged the court to stop live proceedings, citing threats of acid attacks and rape against women lawyers involved in the case. Sibal expressed concern about the impact of live-streaming on the reputation of lawyers. The court assured Sibal that it would intervene if any threats arose, but it maintained its decision to continue live-streaming, stressing that transparency was crucial. In addition to the rape and murder case, the Supreme Court directed the CBI to submit a status report on alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College. The court also acknowledged valuable input from the father of the deceased regarding investigative leads, which the CBI was advised to follow up on privately. The hearing further addressed the West Bengal government's "Rattierer Saathi" program, which restricted women doctors from night duties and capped their working hours at 12 hours per shift. The court objected to this policy, asserting that women doctors' careers could be prejudiced, and all doctors should be treated equally. Following this, the West Bengal government agreed to withdraw the notification.
Concerns were also raised about the state's decision to hire contractual staff for hospital security. The court pointed out the lack of adequate security for doctors and urged the state to deploy police personnel in hospitals instead of relying on contracted staff. Senior advocate Indira Jaising, representing junior doctors, requested the court to ensure no punitive actions were taken against protesting doctors. The West Bengal government assured the court that no adverse actions would be taken. Jaising further informed the court that junior doctors possessed valuable information about the crime, which would be shared with the CBI confidentially. Additionally, the Supreme Court directed Wikipedia to remove the victim's name and photograph, citing the need to preserve the dignity and privacy of the deceased. The bench reiterated that the identity of victims in rape and murder cases must not be disclosed. Meanwhile, the Solicitor General, representing the CBI, confirmed that nothing related to the crime, including the 27 minutes of CCTV footage, had been tampered with. The West Bengal police also confirmed that all evidence, including the footage, had been handed over to the CBI.
