The Supreme Court of India has expressed deep concern over the publication of the victim’s name and photograph in the recent rape and murder case of a junior postgraduate doctor in Kolkata. During a hearing on Tuesday, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) stated, “Deeply concerned of the fact that name, photograph of the victim is all over the India. We are deeply concerned about the fact that the name, photo and video clip of the Kolkata rape victim was published all over. The law prohibits publishing victims’ names. Is this the way we provide dignity to the young doctor who has lost her life?”
The court strongly condemned the incident, labeling it “horrific” and “horrendous.” The CJI directed sharp criticism at the West Bengal government for the delays in registering the First Information Report (FIR) and the destruction of the crime scene. The CJI also questioned the Principal of the college for attempting to portray the incident as a suicide, further highlighting the severity of the situation.
The Supreme Court has scheduled the next hearing for August 20th at 10:30 am. A bench led by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud, along with Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, will hear the petition filed on August 9th. The court plans to expand the scope of judicial scrutiny to investigate the incident thoroughly. The petition is titled, “In Re: Alleged rape and murder incident of a trainee doctor in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, and related issue.”
The Calcutta High Court transferred the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on August 13th. The Supreme Court, in response to the concerns raised during the hearing, is considering the establishment of a National Task Force to provide recommendations for ensuring safety at workplaces across the country.
