Kolkata rape-murder:SC raps West Bengal govt, questions delay in filing of FIR
New Delhi (PTI): Terming the rape and murder case of a medic at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital as horrific, the Supreme Court on Tuesday came down heavily on the West Bengal government over delay in filing FIR in the matter.
Taking suo motu cognisance of the case, the top court said this incident raises systematic issue regarding safety of doctor across India.
A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, which had taken cognisance of the incident, said if women are not able to go to work and working conditions are not safe, we are denying them equality.
The top court slammed the West Bengal government over delay in filing FIR in the rape-murder case, and asked what were hospital authorities doing.
"It appears crime was detected in early hours, medical college principal tried to pass it off as suicide," the bench comprising justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra observed.
The bench rapped the Kolkata Police and asked how a mob of thousands entered the RG Kar Medical College.
When the conduct of the R G Kar Hospital's principal was under scrutiny, how was he appointed to another college immediately, it asked.
The top court said the power of the West Bengal government should not be unleashed on protestors as its time of national catharsis.
The apex court said most young doctors are putting in 36 hours of work and there was a need to evolve national protocol to ensure safe conditions at workplace.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said West Bengal should not be in denial mode and there was a complete failure of law and order in state.
He said a mob of 7,000 people cannot enter the hospital without knowledge of the Kolkata Police.
The suo motu cognisance of the case, titled "In Re: Alleged rape and murder incident of a trainee doctor in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata and related issue", assumes significance in view of the fact that Calcutta High Court is already in action and has transferred the probe into the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The doctors' strike over the rape and murder of the medic completed a week on Sunday and is now entering its second week, causing difficulties for patients.
The protesting doctors want the CBI to catch the culprits and for the court to impose the maximum punishment on them. They also want an assurance from the government that "no such incidents occurs in the future".
The alleged rape and murder of the junior doctor in a seminar hall of the state-run hospital has sparked nationwide protests.
The medic's body with severe injury marks was found inside the seminar hall of the hospital's chest department on August 9. A civic volunteer was arrested by the Kolkata Police in connection with the case the following day.
On August 13, Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the probe from the Kolkata Police to the CBI, which started its investigation on August 14.
The high court ordered the transfer of the probe to the CBI while hearing petitions, including one moved by the victim's parents praying for a court-monitored probe.
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Congress wins 18 seats in Assam; 17 Muslim candidates among victors
Guwahati: The Indian National Congress has secured victory in 18 Assembly constituencies in Assam, according to the latest results.
Out of the 18 winning candidates, 17 are from the Muslim community. The only non-Muslim candidate among the winners is Dr. Joy Prakash Das, who won from the Nowboicha constituency.
The constituencies where Congress candidates emerged victorious include Parbatjhora, Gauripur, Dhubri, Birsing Jarua, Jaleshwar, Goalpara East, Srijangram, Chenga, Pakabetbari, Chamaria, Lahorighat, Rupahihat, Samaguri, Nowboicha, Sonai, Algapur-Katlicherra, Karimganj North, and Karimganj South.
Among the winners are MD Ashraful Islam Sheikh from Parbatjhora, Abdus Sobahan Ali Sarkar from Gauripur, Baby Begum from Dhubri, Wazed Ali Choudhury from Birsing Jarua, and Aftab Uddin Mollah from Jaleshwar.
Other winners include Abul Kalam Rasheed Alam from Goalpara East, MD. Nurul Islam from Srijangram, Abdur Rahim Ahmed from Chenga, Jakir Hussain Sikdar from Pakabetbari, Rekibuddin Ahmed from Chamaria, Dr Asif Mohammad Nazar from Lahorighat, Nurul Huda from Rupahihat, Tanzil Hussain from Samaguri, Aminul Haque Laskar from Sonai, Zubair Anam Mazumder from Algapur-Katlicherra, Jakaria Ahmed from Karimganj North, and Aminur Rashid Choudhury from Karimganj South.
