Editor's Pick | CBI takes over probe into Kolkata doctor’s murder

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday transferred the investigation into the rape and murder of a doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The woman postgraduate trainee doctor was found raped and murdered inside the government hospital on August 9, sparking widespread outrage and protests. A Division Bench of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya said that prima facie, no significant progress had been made in the investigation. The Kolkata Police have arrested a civic police volunteer in connection with the crime. Following the High Court order, the CBI took over the case and a team of officers accompanied by forensic and medical experts will arrive in Kolkata on Wednesday and visit the scene of the crime. “...The State police have not arrested any other person, who may be allegedly involved in the commission of the offence. The place where the crime had been committed assumes extraordinary importance viz. it is in a government hospital,” the Division Bench noted in its order. “We would be well-justified in accepting the plea raised by the writ petitioners, more particularly, the parents of the victim that there is every possibility that the evidence will be destroyed and the witnesses will be influenced.” The Bench urged the doctors to call off their strike. “We wish to observe that there is a pious obligation on the part of the doctors to treat their patients, more particularly the patients who come to government hospitals, who are not from the affluent strata of society,” the order said. The doctors, however, continued their strike, even as they welcomed the High Court order. The doctors have set a Wednesday deadline for the completion of the investigation. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier given a deadline for the Kolkata Police to crack the case by August 18, failing which she said she would transfer the case to the CBI. During the proceedings in the court, the Chief Justice asked why a murder case was not registered by the principal of the medical college at the outset and an unnatural death case was initiated at Tala police station and called it a serious lapse, giving room for suspicion. “Under normal circumstances, a case of unnatural death is registered when there is no complaint. When the deceased victim was a doctor working in the hospital, it is rather surprising as to why the principal/hospital did not lodge a formal complaint,” the court noted. The Division Bench came down heavily on the principal of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Kumar Ghosh, and said that he could have lodged a complaint with the police since the death occurred within the hospital premises. The court said that it was a clear dereliction of duty on the part of the principal and the officers under his command. Observing that Mr. Ghosh has been made a principal of another government medical college and hospital, the court said it is not clear as to what the urgency in doing so is. The court also directed that he should be sent on leave until further directions. The postmortem report revealed that the murdered doctor had bruises on different parts of her body. The report pointed to signs of sexual penetration and referred to ‘throttling’ and ‘smothering’ as the cause of death. The report pointed at 10 injuries, including bleeding from the vagina, eyes, and mouth. The report refers to injury on the face, left leg, belly, right hand, lips, and the neck. The petition filed by her family members had referred to the post-mortem report which suggested that the death was ante-mortem homicidal in nature. The cause of death was referred to as “throttling” and “smothering”. Union Health minister J.P. Nadda alleged that the Bengal government had tried to hush up the case. He assured doctors that the Centre would bring in strict measures to ensure their safety at workplace at a meeting with a delegation from the Indian Medical Association (IMA). The IMA delegation, led by its president R.V. Asokan, sought a safe workplace for doctors across the country. He demanded police pickets in all major government hospitals as well as a central law to tackle the attacks on doctors. On Tuesday, the National Medical Commission (NMC) directed all medical colleges to develop a policy to ensure a safe work environment for all the staff members. “The policy should ensure adequate safety measures at OPD, wards, casualty, hostels and other open areas on the campus and residential quarters. Corridors and campus should be well-lit in the evening for staff to walk safely from one place to other, and all sensitive areas should be covered by CCTV for monitoring,’’ the notice said. The Hindu’s Editorials Step down: On upholding the integrity of SEBI Single digits: On India at the Olympics The Hindu’s Daily Quiz The MEA and ISRO’s NSIL have signed an help launch a satellite from which country? Sri Lanka Iran Nepal Maldives To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 14 August 2024 [The Hindu logo] [EP Logo] Editor's Pick 14 August 2024 In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [View in browser]( [More newsletters]( CBI takes over probe into Kolkata doctor’s murder The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday transferred the investigation into the rape and murder of a doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata to the [Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)]( The woman postgraduate trainee doctor was found raped and murdered inside the government hospital on August 9, sparking widespread outrage and protests. A Division Bench of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya said that prima facie, no significant progress had been made in the investigation. The Kolkata Police have arrested a civic police volunteer in connection with the crime. Following the High Court order, the CBI took over the case and a team of officers accompanied by forensic and medical experts will arrive in Kolkata on Wednesday and visit the scene of the crime. “...The State police have not arrested any other person, who may be allegedly involved in the commission of the offence. The place where the crime had been committed assumes extraordinary importance viz. it is in a government hospital,” the Division Bench noted in its order. “We would be well-justified in accepting the plea raised by the writ petitioners, more particularly, the parents of the victim that there is every possibility that the evidence will be destroyed and the witnesses will be influenced.” The Bench urged the doctors to call off their[strike.]( “We wish to observe that there is a pious obligation on the part of the doctors to treat their patients, more particularly the patients who come to government hospitals, who are not from the affluent strata of society,” the order said. The doctors, however, continued their strike, even as they welcomed the High Court order. The doctors have set a Wednesday deadline for the completion of the investigation. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier given a deadline for the Kolkata Police to crack the case by August 18, failing which[she said she would transfer]( the case to the CBI. During the proceedings in the court, the Chief Justice asked why a murder case was not registered by the principal of the medical college at the outset and an unnatural death case was initiated at Tala police station and called it a serious lapse, giving room for suspicion. “Under normal circumstances, a case of unnatural death is registered when there is no complaint. When the deceased victim was a doctor working in the hospital, it is rather surprising as to why the principal/hospital did not lodge a formal complaint,” the court noted. The Division Bench came down heavily on the principal of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Kumar Ghosh, and said that he could have lodged a complaint with the police since the death occurred within the hospital premises. The court said that it was a clear dereliction of duty on the part of the principal and the officers under his command. Observing that Mr. Ghosh has been made a principal of another government medical college and hospital, the court said it is not clear as to what the urgency in doing so is. The court also directed that he should be sent on leave until further directions. The postmortem report revealed that the murdered doctor had bruises on different parts of her body. The report pointed to signs of sexual penetration and[referred to ‘throttling’ and ‘smothering’]( the cause of death. The report pointed at 10 injuries, including bleeding from the vagina, eyes, and mouth. The report refers to injury on the face, left leg, belly, right hand, lips, and the neck. The petition filed by her family members had referred to the post-mortem report which suggested that the death was ante-mortem homicidal in nature. The cause of death was referred to as “throttling” and “smothering”. Union Health minister J.P. Nadda alleged that the Bengal government had tried to hush up the case.  He [assured doctors]( the Centre would bring in strict measures to ensure their safety at workplace at a meeting with a delegation from the Indian Medical Association (IMA). The IMA delegation, led by its president R.V. Asokan, sought a safe workplace for doctors across the country. He demanded police pickets in all major government hospitals as well as a central law to tackle the attacks on doctors. On Tuesday, the National Medical Commission (NMC) directed all medical colleges to develop a policy to ensure a safe work environment for all the staff members. “The policy should ensure adequate safety measures at OPD, wards, casualty, hostels and other open areas on the campus and residential quarters. Corridors and campus should be well-lit in the evening for staff to walk safely from one place to other, and all sensitive areas should be covered by CCTV for monitoring,’’ the notice said. 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