Kolkata doctor rape-murder case: Supreme Court of India takes suo motu cognisance, hearing on Aug 20

The Supreme Court of India on Sunday (August 18) took suo motu cognisance of the shocking and brutal rape and murder of a trainee female doctor at the RG Kar Hospital premises in Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal state.

A bench of the top court will hear the matter on Tuesday (August 20). According to reports, the decision to intervene was prompted by a letter from Supreme Court lawyers, Advocates Ujjawal Gaur and Rohit Pandey, urging the CJI to take immediate action.Given the gravity and seriousness of the incident, the advocates highlighted the immediate need for the country's highest court to intervene.

Doctors to strike in the national capital, Delhi

In the Indian national capital, the doctors' strike continues over the rape and murder of a medic in Kolkata. As per a PTI report, members of the Delhi resident doctors' association (RDA) will be taking out a candle march outside Gate 1 of Rajiv Chowk Metro Station at 6 pm.

"As approved in today's general body meeting, residents from all medical colleges and institutions in Delhi will gather for a candle march protest in Connaught Place," read a statement from the GTB Hospital RDA.

"We will assemble in groups of 3-4 at Gate No. 1, Rajiv Chowk Metro Station, form a human chain, and light candles at the inner circle to raise awareness about the tragic incident at RG Kar Medical College, Kolkata," it added.

Kolkata Police, CBI and now the Supreme Court of India

On August 9, a post-graduate trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal. A preliminary autopsy of her body suggested that the trainee doctor was subjected to violent sexual assault.

Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer, was arrested by the Kolkata Police in connection with the case. However, even this wasn't enough to satiate the public's anger.

The grossand tragic incident sparked nationwide protests in India, which have seen the participation of doctors and the medical fraternity. Allegations of a botched-up investigation and tampering of evidence snowballed into outrage that has spread across medical campuses in West Bengal and beyond.

Previously, onTuesday (Aug13), a bench of the Calcutta High Courtobserved that there had been no significant progress in investigations made by the Kolkata Police in five days since the tragic incident. Expressing its dissatisfaction, the courtordered the transfer of the probe into the alleged rape and murder of the trainee doctor toIndia's central investigative agency, the CBI.

Now, the Indian top court has stepped in. Taking suo motu cognisance of the matter relating to the heinous crime, a Supreme Court bench comprisingChief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra will hear on Tuesday thecase titled "In Re: Alleged Rape and Murder of Trainee Doctor in RG Kar Medical College Hospital, Kolkata and related issues."

According to Live Law, the case was registered at 01:03 pmon Sunday.

(With inputs from agencies)