The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday transferred the probe into the murder and rape of a trainee doctor in Kolkata to the CBI. In its order, the High Court highlighted "serious lapses" by the hospital administration and said even after five days, there had been no significant progress in the investigation.
A division bench headed by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam was hearing a plea filed by the parents of the trainee doctor, who were seeking a court-monitored investigation in the case. A number of other petitions were also filed that sought a CBI probe into it.
The court said the parents of the victim fear if the investigation is allowed to continue in this manner, it will derail.
"Under normal circumstances, we would have called for a report. But the case is peculiar. And the facts warrant appropriate orders without loss of time. Without significant progress in the investigation, we would be well justified in accepting the prayers by the victim’s parents that evidence would be destroyed," the bench said as it transferred the investigation to the CBI.
The body of the woman postgraduate trainee was found in a seminar hall in Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital on August 9 morning. A civic volunteer, identified as Sanjay Roy, was arrested the next day in connection with the crime. He was arrested and had confessed to his crime before the police.
A four-page autopsy report of the victim revealed that the woman was bleeding from her private parts and there were injury marks on other parts of her body.
The court also came down heavily on the Principal of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital for not being "proactive".
"It is disheartening to note that the principal of the college was not proactive. It is difficult to comprehend why, when he submitted his resignation, the authorities did not accept or reject it. Authorities should have immediately relieved him from his duties," the court said.
"One more disturbing aspect is that a case of unnatural death was registered. It is submitted that such cases are registered when there is no complaint. When the deceased was a doctor in the same hospital, it is surprising why the principal did not lodge a complaint. This, in our view, was a serious lapse giving room for suspicion," it added.
Facing backlash over the rape and murder of the trainee doctor, Sandip Ghosh resigned as the Principal of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on Monday. However, he was made principal of another college shortly after.
On this, the court said, "He has been made the principal of another government college. What was the tearing urgency?"
The court further asked the police to hand over the case diary to the CBI, including CCTV footage and all statements recorded so far. The diary has to be handed over by 10 am on Wednesday, the court said.
The next hearing in the case will happen after three weeks.
