The Supreme Court on Thursday has commenced hearing on the plea related to the rape and murder case of a postgraduate medic at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, reviewing status reports filed by both the CBI and the West Bengal government. The Court has expressed deep concern over several aspects of the case, terming the delay in registering the FIR as “extremely disturbing.”Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the Court that the FIR in the case was registered at 11:45 pm, after the victim had already been cremated. This revelation has heightened scrutiny of the police’s handling of the case. The CBI further reported to the Court that initially, the state police had informed the victim’s parents that the death was a suicide. It was only later that the police acknowledged it as a murder. Additionally, the CBI noted that the victim’s friend had suspected a cover-up and had insisted on videography to ensure transparency.The Supreme Court has also directed the Kolkata Police officer who first recorded the incident to appear at the next hearing to explain the timing of the entry. It has been highlighted that the postmortem of the victim was conducted before the case was officially registered as an unnatural death, a procedure that has been described by the Court as surprising and troubling.The Supreme Court on Thursday also asked doctors protesting over the incident to resume work, and assured them that no adverse action will be taken once they rejoin.A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud was told by the counsel for resident doctors at AIIMS Nagpur that they are being victimised for protests over the Kolkata rape-murder case.”Once they get back to duty, we will prevail upon authorities to not take adverse action. How will public health infrastructure run if the doctors do not work,” the bench, also comprising Justice J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said.If there is difficulty after that then come to us, but let them first report to work, the bench said.The Court , earlier on Thursday commenced hearing a suo motu case related to the rape and murder of a postgraduate medic at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra is hearing the matter.The top court on Tuesday had constituted a 10-member National Task Force (NTF) to formulate a protocol for ensuring the safety and security of doctors and other health care professionals.The Court has assured doctors’ associations that the newly constituted National Task Force (NTF) will hear all stakeholders involved in the Kolkata rape-murder case. Terming the incident as “horrific”, the apex court had excoriated the state government over the delay in filing the FIR and allowing thousands of miscreants to vandalise the state-run facility.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, the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the probe from the Kolkata Police to the CBI, which started its investigation on August 14.
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