“Delay in FIR Unjustifiable,” says SC on Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder Case

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 22nd August. The Supreme Court today expressed concern over the delay in filing the FIR in the rape-murder case of a 31-year-old doctor from Kolkata. The court criticized the justification provided for the 14-hour delay in lodging the FIR and questioned the involvement of Dr. Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, in the aftermath of the incident.

Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, responding to West Bengal government counsel Kapil Sibal’s claim that the Kolkata Police followed procedures, emphasized that the core issue is the delay in filing the FIR. “Procedure is a separate issue, but the point remains: what is the reason the FIR was lodged almost 14 hours after the discovery of the body? The principal should have acted promptly to direct the filing of the FIR,” said Chief Justice Chandrachud.

The Chief Justice also questioned Dr. Ghosh’s swift appointment to another college following his resignation. Sibal responded, stating that the state would address this matter separately. The Supreme Court received separate status reports from the CBI and Kolkata Police today. The CBI’s report focused on the ongoing investigation into the doctor’s rape and murder, while the Kolkata Police provided an update on the vandalism at the hospital that occurred on August 15.

Sibal also requested protection for the state government to manage future protests, to which Chief Justice Chandrachud replied, “How can we protect the State?” He clarified that while peaceful protests should not be disrupted, lawful actions by the state are permissible.

The bench, including Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, scheduled the next hearing for September 5. This case pertains to the brutal rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor, discovered dead in the RG Kar Hospital seminar hall on August 9. Following the arrest of a civic volunteer named Sanjoy Roy, the case was transferred to the CBI by the Calcutta High Court due to a lack of significant progress by the city police. The CBI has yet to make any arrests in the case.