Kolkata rape-murder case live: CJI Chandrachud Questions Discrepancy In Dealing With The Case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has presented a progress report to the Supreme Court regarding its investigation into the brutal rape and murder of a female trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. This report comes ahead of a scheduled hearing today.

On August 20, 2024, the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and including Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Mishra, convened to review the case. The Court had previously taken suo motu notice of the matter and requested status reports from both the CBI on the ongoing investigation into the rape and murder, and from the West Bengal government concerning the vandalism at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Live Updates______________________________

02:59 p.m

Supreme Court directs the secretary of the Health Ministry to engage with the Chief Secretaries of the State and Director General of Police to ensure the safety of the doctors willing to return to work. Supreme Court directs that the meeting be held within a week and states shall take remedial measures within two weeks.

02:57 p.m

Supreme Court urges not to politicize the situation and that the law is taking its course. Supreme Court says that they are concerned about the welfare and safety of doctors.

02:52 p.m

There shall be no coercive action against doctors for protesting: SC on rape-murder case.

SC asks protesting doctors to resume normal work, says justice and medicine cannot afford to be stopped

02: 45 p.m

Supreme Court directs all states and Union Territories shall ensure that states can prevent any apprehension of violence at medical establishments.

In the meantime, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informs SC that CISF has been deployed at the RG Kar Medical College

02: 42 p.m

Peaceful protests in Kolkata rape and murder case shall not be disturbed or disrupted by West Bengal government: SC

02: 37p.m

SC directs National Task Force to hear all stakeholders in formulation of national protocol for safety of doctors.

Supreme Court directs the Ministry of Health to open a portal where stakeholders can submit their suggestions before the committee.

Supreme Court directs not to disrupt the peaceful protest and state shall not take any action against those peacefully protesting against the RG Kar incident

02: 35p.m

CJI ordered ACJM sealdah to submit report on August 23. He also said suggestions of representatives will be taken.

02: 35p.m

SC: Protestors must follow SOP

SC: cannot take action against peaceful protestors

SC: why did the Principal not do anything? Why was he transferred to another place?

02: 32p.m

Who was in touch with principal of RG Kar Medical College, why did he delay FIR, what was the purpose: SC asks West Bengal govt

02: 30p.m

SC: why was FIR lodged 14 hours after the body was found? No justification for late FIR

12:47p.m

CJI Chandrachud says we have seen the CD, we can form the view of the movements of the police officers, when the body was seen, when the police came, unnatural death report, post mortem report, cremation and then FIR.

It matches with the FIR also now. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta urges SC to read the general diary entry and says after returning to the police station an unnatural death case had been registered at 11:30 pm earlier was only a GD entry, that is the chronology

12:40p.m

SG: State says father did not permit registration of the FIR

12:38p.m

SG: Girl was raped in the most inhumane manner and undignified manner.
State councels allege not all files produced by CBI

12:34p.m

CBI Describes Accused Sanjay Roy as ‘Sexual Pervert’ With No Remorse. CCTV Reveals Accused Sanjay Roy Monitoring Victim Before Crime

12:27p.m

Sibal: The UD case was registered at 23:30. FIR was registered 23:45

12:24 p.m

Seizure lists mentions unnatural deaths

12:17 p.m

Sibal defends Bengal government and police, saying as soon as the HC ordered transfer, case diary given to CBI immediately.

12:17 p.m

SC: Crime scene secured after more than almost 18 hours

SC: CRPC procedures not followed by Kolkata police

12:15 p.m

SC suspects post-facto notification of UD case

SC: For next hearing, have a cop present

SC says to Sibal please make a responsible statement and do not make a rash statement.

SC further says to Sibal that when it will take the matter on any next date then please keep a responsible police officer present here as the court has not yet got an answer as to when the unnatural death case was registered.

12:07 p.m

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) revealed that the crime scene at RG Kar Medical College had been tampered with. This disclosure came as part of the ongoing investigation into the brutal attack on a female trainee doctor.

12:01 p.m

Justice JB Pardiwala questioned the procedural timing in the investigation of the tragic death of a female trainee doctor in Kolkata. He highlighted the discrepancy between the post-mortem and the registration of the unnatural death. “When you begin the post-mortem, it indicates that this is a case of unnatural death. Yet, according to records, the case, UD 861/24, was registered at 11:20 PM on August 9, and the General Diary (GD) entry and First Information Report (FIR) were recorded at 11:45 PM,” Justice Pardiwala noted. “This is quite surprising, as typically, the post-mortem should follow the registration of an unnatural death.”

11:55a.m

The Calcutta High Court has refused to issue an order restraining media outlets from broadcasting news about former RG Kar principal Dr Sandip Ghosh.

11:49 a.m

SC: Autopsy time does not match the police reports

11:45 a.m

SC: haven’t come across such discrepancies in 30 years

11:37 a.m

SC: time of postmortem precedes registration of UD

SC questions WB Police and asks about the timing of the postmortem conducted Senior Advocate Sibal replied it was around 6:10-7:10 PM.

SC further asks, when you took the dead body for post mortem then was it a case of unnatural death or not and if it was not unnatural death then what was the need for post mortem.

Sibal informs the Supreme Court that the case of the unnatural death was registered at 1:45 pm.

SC remarks this is very surprising as the postmortem precedes registration of the unnatural death.

11:35 a.m

Post-mortem only when death is unnatural

11:27 a.m

CJI Chandrachud asks about the medical report of the injury of the accused

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal informs Supreme Court that this is part of the case dairy

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta apprises SC that CBI entered the investigation on the 5th day, everything was altered and the probe agency did not know there was such a report

Senior Advocate Sibal counters SG’s submission and says everything is videographed not altered

SG Mehta says that FIR was registered at 11:45 after the cremation of the body and videography was done after the senior doctors and colleagues of the victim insisted for it and which means they also suspected something

11:23 a.m

SC notes discrepancies in dealing with the case

Justice Pardiwala further raises doubt on the conduct of the assistant superintendent of police and asks why did she act in this manner.

11:20 a.m

Supreme Court questions West Bengal Government on facts relating to the incident

CJI DY Chandrachud says one aspect is extremely disturbing, the DD entry of unnatural death is recorded at 10:10 AM but the securing of the crime scene, the seizures were done at night

Sibal informs SC that they have given a timeline backed by videography

11:15 a.m

SC: The securing of the crime scene takes place at 2300 hours, what took so long? What were the authorities doing?

11:10 a.m

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, made significant allegations during the Supreme Court hearing. He asserted that the victim’s family had been misled into believing that their daughter had committed suicide. Furthermore, Solicitor General Mehta claimed that the crime scene had been tampered with. These statements were made as part of the ongoing investigation into the tragic death of a female trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.