The junior doctors of Bengal, protesting over the rape-murder of a young doctor at a Kolkata hospital, have hardened their stance after the 5 pm “back to work” deadline from the Supreme Court. Not only have they flatly refused to comply, they have also given a  counter-deadline to the state government, saying it must meet their demands by 5 pm today, failing which they would hold a sit-down protest outside the health secretariat.

Hundreds of doctors are now marching towards Swastha Bhavan, located in Salt Lake on the outskirts of the city. Barricades have been erected to stop the protesters at the Swasthya Bhawan entrance and a huge police contingent has been deployed to stop the march.

The five-point demand includes the resignation of a string of people, starting with city police chief Vineet Goyal. The list also includes senior officials of the health ministry.

The doctors’ move has set them on a collision course with the state government, though Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said that she is not willing to take action against them for now and would prefer to solve the issue through dialogue.

The government has claimed that patient care has been suffering at hospitals due to the month-long protests and that 23 patients have died in this period.

The doctors have denied the allegation, accusing the government of attempting to sabotage the protest. The junior doctors have pointed out that compared to 93.000 registered doctors in the state, their number is only 7,500.

In view of that, the government’s claim that the healthcare system in the state has collapsed due to the protest is a blatant falsehood, they have said.

On Monday, a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud had said the protesting doctors must resume duties by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, failing which the state government will be authorised to initiate disciplinary action against them.

At a press conference late last evening, the doctors had made it clear that they were in no mood to comply.

Kolkata:

The junior doctors of Kolkata have declared that they would continue their protest against the horrific rape-murder of a young doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar hospital till justice is done. The announcement came late on Monday evening – hours after the Supreme Court gave them a 5-pm-Tuesday deadline to join work. 

The doctors said the protest is “a people’s movement and neither the government nor the Supreme Court should forget that”. 

“We are extremely disappointed by the Supreme Court hearing… the case has been transferred from the High Court to the Supreme Court, from the state police to the CBI. But justice is still out of reach,” said a spokesperson of the junior doctors at the RG Kar hospital, the epicentre of the strike.  

Accusing the state government of providing misinformation to the Supreme Court, the doctors said it is not correct to say that the healthcare system has collapsed. The state health department, in its affidavit, has said 23 people have died due to the doctors’ strike.

In a media communique earlier, the Bengal branch of the Indian Medical Association said they would support the decision of the junior doctors whatever it may be. 

“We were expecting a positive outcome keeping in mind the brutality of the offense. However we are totally disheartened by the proceedings of the court and CBI. No step was taken for a speedy trial to deliver justice to our colleague… It was also very much shocking to note the way the junior doctors were portrayed as responsible for few deaths in the hospitals is totally false and in no hospital the service is completely hampered due to the movement of the junior doctors,” the statement read.

The junior doctors have been observing “cease work” at state-run hospitals for nearly a month now. 

During its hearing of the case earlier on Monday, the top court had said the protesting doctors should return to work by Tuesday evening. 

“In order to create a sense of confidence we state that in the event that doctors come to work by 5 PM tomorrow, no adverse actions shall be taken. If there is continuous abstention from work despite the facilities given, there will be likelihood of action in future,” Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud had said.

Pointing out that the 28-day protest has severely disrupted healthcare services, the Chief Justice said, “They are in a system to render service. We will provide facilities but they have to reciprocate. If doctors do not resume work, then we cannot stop the government from taking disciplinary action”. Junior doctors cannot say seniors are working, so they won’t, he added.

The top court’s direction came during a hearing of the case, which the court had taken up on its own after massive protests of the rape-murder of the 31-year-old doctor last month. The prime suspect who has been arrested is Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer with Kolkata Police who was stationed at the police outpost at the hospital and had access to all departments.

New Delhi:

Was a First Information Report or FIR filed in the Kolkata doctor’s rape-murder case – long before the one filed 14 hours after the body was discovered? An intervenor who filed a petition in the Supreme Court appears to think so. In an exclusive interview with NDTV, intervenor Vijay Singla pointed out that no forensic examination or postmortem can be done before an FIR is lodged.

“My advocate says one FIR was lodged before the postmortem was done. Maybe the FIR was missing or maybe it is there. The second FIR, they say, was lodged at midnight — some 14 hours after the incident,” he said.

Assuming that the postmortem examination was held after the 14-hour-late FIR was filed is also questionable — since the body of the young doctor was cremated around 8 pm, after just 10 hours.

The woman’s parents alleged that they wanted to preserve the body had to cremate it under police pressure. The parents have also claimed that they were even offered money by a police officer to end the matter quietly.  

There have been questions about why the postmortem examination was conducted at RG Kar hospital, which created a conflict of interest of sorts.

Missing Elements In Postmortem Report

In his petition, Mr Singla has pointed out multiple lacunae in the FIR – starting with the first line where the videographer’s name is mentioned. He is the one who pointed out that the crucial challan, without which no postmortem can be done, is not part of the documents submitted, the Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI has told the court.

The postmortem report does not mention what time it was issued — a fact pointed out by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta in the Supreme Court today. The field under the name of the constable who brought in the postmortem request is also blank.

Kapil Sibal, who was representing the state government, had contested it hotly, saying, “It is all there… why are these submissions being made?”

Then the advocate representing Mr Singla had chimed in with multiple other lacunae in the report.

“Who conducted the videography… no details… was it a writable or rewritable CD… no details… all doctors present were from the north Bengal lobby!” he said. The first line of the report mentions the name of the videographer – Shekhar Roy, but there are no details about his department or designation.

When Mr Sibal pointed out that the Judicial magistrate was there,  the advocate dismissed it with “that is immaterial”.

“From 2.30 pm to 10.30 pm, there are only 10 GD entries! Or was it manufactured,” he said.

What The Court Said

That missing challan and the absence of the constable’s name were the focus of the hearing in the Supreme Court today.

The Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud questioned where the challan was. The document is expected to list the articles of clothing and personal use was submitted for forensic examination. 

Without that challan, a postmortem cannot be carried out, he said.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who was representing the state, could not immediately locate it. “What I am told is that CJM filled it up himself and sent it,” he said. He has been given time till the next hearing on next Wednesday.

Pointing to the postmortem report, Justice JB Pardiwala, who was part of the three-judge bench, said: “See the third column on the top, the constable (who brought the body) is supposed to carry this (form). It has been struck off. So there is no reference of this challan when the dead body is sent for examination. You need to explain, if this document is missing, then something is amiss.”

CBI’s Contention

The Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI has said “who collected the samples” for forensics has emerged as a relevant question.

The agency has also pointed out that the first five hours after the discovery of a homicide is most crucial. In this case, they have reached after five days, they have repeatedly pointed out, flagging the possibility of tampering with the crime scene.

The fresh focus on the role of police following today’s hearing of the Kolkata hospital rape-murder case in Supreme Court has escalated the BJP demand for the dismissal of the city’s police chief Vineet Goyal. Chief Minster Mamata Banerjee has played for time. The police chief, she said, cannot step down immediately in view of the coming Durga Puja, which calls for special stress on law and order. 

“Kolkata Police Commissioner has come to me several times last week and offered to resign,” Ms Banerjee said.  “We have pujo coming up. Someone who is aware of law and order has to be there. If you have patience for a few days, will it be a Mahabharat (big deal)?” she added.

Following the arrest of Sandip Ghose, the former Principal of RG Kar Medical College, the next big demand of the protesters has been the resignation of the police chief. The Opposition parties have thrown their weight behind it. 

The role of the police in the investigation of the young doctor’s rape-murder has raised multiple questions. The woman’s parents have claimed they cremated their daughter’s body under pressure from the police and alleged that a police officer had offered them money to bury the incident. 

There have been complaints about videography and questions why the body’s postmortem was done at RG Kar hospital, which created a conflict of interest of sorts.

The 14-hour delay in filing of the First Information Report has been flagged multiple times, including by the judges of the Supreme Court.

Today, the top court said a key document connected to the postmortem appeared to be missing. 

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud questioned where a certain challan was, that showed what articles of clothing and personal use was submitted for forensic examination. Without that challan, a postmortem cannot be carried out either, he said.

“See the third column on the top, the constable (who brought the body) is supposed to carry this (form). It has been struck off. So there is no reference of this challan when the dead body is sent for examination. You need to explain. If this document is missing, then something is amiss,” said Justice JB Pardiwala, who was part of the three-judge bench.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who was representing the state, could not immediately locate it and has sought more time.  

The Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI has said “who collected the samples” for forensics has emerged as a crucial question.

Kolkata:

The parents of the Kolkata doctor who was raped and killed last month, have accused the Kolkata Police of attempting to destroy evidence since the beginning of the case. Taking part in today’s massive protest march in Kolkata, the woman’s mother said, “The government, administration and the police have not cooperated with us since the beginning of the case”.

The police, she said, also tried to destroy the evidence “from the beginning”. “I request that mass protest should continue as long as we don’t get justice,” she added.

The woman’s father said the mass protests were bringing him hope that justice will be done. “I request everybody to stay with us. I know justice will not come so easily. We have to ensure justice. I hope that people will be with us since they are the main source of our strength,” he said.

The parents of the woman were part of the march held by the medical fraternity from Sealdah to Esplanade.

On September 4, the woman’s father had accused the police of deliberately delaying the registration of a First Information Report. He also claimed that a police officer had offered him money and tried to convince them to settle the matter.

He also accused another officer of Kolkata Police of deliberately trying to mislead people through incorrect media statements — even when the case has been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation or the CBI.

Earlier, they had also claimed that they had wanted to preserve their daughter’s body for a second postmortem, but were forced to cremate her.

“About 300-400 cops surrounded us. We returned home and found some 300 cops were standing outside. They created such a situation that we were forced to cremate her,” her father said, setting off a major political row. The Trinamool Congress said the political parties should leave the bereaved parents alone.

“There should have been no politics here. Political parties should not bother them,” said state minister Shashi Panja.

Tomorrow, the Supreme Court will hear the case it has taken up on its own, during which the CBI is expected to present its report. The case was also heard by the Calcutta High Court, which, following the appeal by the  parents, had handed the investigation to the CBI.

While the protests over the rape-murder have acquired a life of their own, the woman’s parents are closely associated with it, and appear on crucial days. The woman’s mother, who lost her only daughter, today said, “Now, all these protesters are all my children”.

Most of Kolkata went dark this evening as a mark of protest against the rape-murder of a young doctor at the RG Kar Medical College. It was also a unique display of the city’s solidarity with the young doctors who have been on a protest since the horrific incident of August 9. This is expected to be followed by a “Reclaim the night” protest by women.

Sharp at 9 pm, prominent landmarks of the city, like the Victoria Memorial and Raj Bhavan, plunged into darkness. Governor CV Ananda Bose also switched off the lights at Raj Bhavan to show solidarity. “When light is fear, darkness is dear,” he said. Switching off lights at their homes, people hit the streets with burning candles.

Large pockets across the state — including twin city Howrah — also witnessed spontaneous protests, with people marching with burning torches, candles and even cellphone torches.

In Kolkata, protests were held at prominent landmarks including Shyambazar, Moulali, New Town Biswa Bangla Gate, Rashbehari crossing, Behala, Garia, Ballygunge, Hazra crossing and Jadavpur 8B bus stand. At the epicentre – RG Kar Medical College and Hospital – junior and senior doctors held a protest which was also attended by the woman’s parents and other family members.

The Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front, which had called for the protest, titled the event “Let There Be Light, Let There Be Justice”. It was meant to coincide with the second hearing of the case in Supreme Court, which was called off.

Protests were held in Delhi as well. Doctors at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and AIIMS carried out a candle-light march.

The protesters say the case be resolved quickly so that justice doesn’t get delayed any further.

The doctors also have been demanding that KOlkata police chief Vineet Goyal be dismissed. On Monday,  Sandip Ghosh, the former Principal of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, got arrested by the CBI in connection with financial irregularities at the hospital during his tenure.

The partially clothed body of the young woman was found in the hospital’s seminar room on the morning of August 9.

It had created a furore, especially after it became known that the parents of the woman were misled about the cause of her death, the delay in filing of FIR and the comments of Sandip Ghosh that the woman should not have gone alone to the seminar hall at night. The protests spread like wildfire across the nation till the Supreme Court took notice of the matter.

(With Agencies)

Kolkata:

Trinamool’s second-in-command Abhishek Banerjee has issued a warning to party leaders: Do not to speak ill of anyone from the medical fraternity or civil society. The message on X comes amid multiple ugly comments by party leaders since his aunt and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had apparently urged them to “hiss”. The Chief Minister has denied making any such comment, but that has apparently not convinced any of her party leaders. 

“Public representatives across party lines need to be more HUMBLE and SYMPATHETIC. I urge everyone in @AITCofficial not to speak ill of anyone from the MEDICAL FRATERNITY OR CIVIL SOCIETY,” the Diamond Harbour MP said. “Everyone has the right to protest and express themselves. This is what sets West Bengal apart from other BJP-ruled states,” he added.

Public representatives across party lines need to be more HUMBLE and SYMPATHETIC. I urge everyone in @AITCofficial not to speak ill of anyone from the MEDICAL FRATERNITY OR CIVIL SOCIETY. Everyone has the right to protest and express themselves- This is what sets West Bengal…

— Abhishek Banerjee (@abhishekaitc) September 2, 2024

On Sunday, Atish Sarkar, husband of a TMC councillor at Habra, had lashed out at protestors. “I will make a distorted picture of your mother and sister and hang it on the door of your house. You will not be able to leave your house,” he said. 

“Remember, our Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee advised us to hiss at times. If we start hissing, you will not be able to come out of your houses,” he was heard saying at a public meeting in his locality. After the video was widely circulated, the party had suspended him. 

The same day, four-time Trinamool MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, who is also a medical practitioner, issued a statement apologising for her recent derogatory remarks about women doctors that infuriated the medical community. 

At a panel discussion on the horrific rape-murder of a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College in a vernacular television channel, the MP had claimed during her days as a medical student, there was a trend where female students secured qualifying marks by “sitting on the lap” of teaching doctors. She also said the students who often protested against that were granted lesser marks. 

She had added that she never imagined the “trend” would ultimately take such a “nasty shape”.

Actor-turned Trinamool MLA Kanchan Mullick questioned whether protesting junior doctors would refuse to accept their salaries and bonuses. “I just want to ask whether people who are on ceasework and opposing the ruling party are accepting their salaries and bonuses? Will people from my fraternity withdraw the awards conferred on them by the state government?” he said at a protest meet organised by the party in Konnagar. 

In another video that was widely circulated on Sunday, a minister of the state, Udayan Guha, is purportedly heard asking party workers to retaliate against political adversaries.

“Some political parties are trying to do politics over the RG Kar incident. If they sting once, we will have to sting five times. If they leave a single tooth-mark, we will have to leave five teeth-marks,” he is purportedly heard saying. 

Trinamool’s Bankura MP Arup Chakraborty said once party workers take a stand and “hiss”, those who are protesting against the rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Hospital and “misleading people”, will “flee like dogs”.

All of it is apparently a take-off on something the Chief Minister had said a recent meeting last week. But on August 29, Ms Banerjee clarified the remark on X.

“I also clarify that the phrase (“phonsh kara“) that I had used in my speech yesterday is a quote from Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa. The legendary saint had said that occasionally there is a need to raise one’s voice. When there are crimes and criminal offences, a voice of protest has to be raised. My speech on that point was a direct allusion to the great Ramakrishnite saying,” her post read. 

The comments by the party leaders, though, have infuriated the medical community as well as the civil society, who have been on a massive protest over the rape-murder. Despite the Supreme Court’s request to stop the protest and return to work, the doctors have stuck to their course of action. 

Lucknow:

BSP supremo Mayawati on Thursday said incidents of crime against women were “extremely worrying”, and asked political parties to rise above party politics and take “strict steps” to prevent them.

Her remarks come against the backdrop of the nationwide outcry over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata and also cases of rape of girls in other parts of the country.

“The incidents of rape, murder and suicide, especially of innocent girls and women, happening in Bengal, Badlapur in Maharashtra, Bihar, and Kannauj, Agra and Farrukhabad districts of Uttar Pradesh are extremely sad and worrying,” the former chief minister said on X.

1. देश में कभी बंगाल, कभी महाराष्ट्र के बदलापुर, कभी बिहार में तो कभी यूपी के कन्नौज, आगरा व फर्रूखाबाद ज़िले आदि में भी मासूम बच्चियों नाबालिग़ व महिलाओं पर ख़ासकर रेप, हत्या व आत्महत्या आदि की हो रही घटनाएं अति-दुःखद व चिन्ताजनक। 1/2

— Mayawati (@Mayawati) August 29, 2024

“The Centre and all state governments should rise above party politics and take strict steps in this matter so that such incidents stop happening. Politics should not be done in its guise. This is the need of the hour and also in the interest of women,” she added.

2. केन्द्र व सभी राज्य सरकारें, इस मामले में दलगत राजनीति से ऊपर उठकर सख़्त कदम उठाएं, ताकि ऐसी घटनायें जल्दी होना बन्द हो, ना कि इसकी आड़ में राजनीति की जाए, यही समय की मांग है तथा यही महिलाओं के हित में भी है। 2/2

— Mayawati (@Mayawati) August 29, 2024

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata:

After a 13-hour search later at the home of Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital’s former Principal Sandip Ghosh, officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation left late this evening with multiple documents. The agency, which is already investigating the August 9 rape-murder of a young doctor at the hospital, has also been tasked with the probe into alleged financial irregularities at the institute that took place under the former principal.

Asked if they have found any concrete evidence, a CBI official, on the way out, said, “Bahut kuch hai (Quite a lot).”

Searches were also conducted at the house of ex-medical superintendent Sanjay Vashisth and 13 others in and around Kolkata today.

The CBI’s anti-corruption unit also searched the homes and offices of those engaged in supplying materials for the management and care of patients.

There have been multiple corruption allegations against Sandip Ghosh, who has been under the lens of the Central agency over the rape-murder.

On Friday — days after the state government started an investigation into the corruption allegations — the Calcutta High Court handed the case to the CBI.   

Sandip Ghosh has already taken a polygraph test. Today, it was the turn of the main accused, Sanjay Roy.

Ghosh, meanwhile, was questioned by the CBI again today since 8 am. At least seven CBI officers took part in the questioning, which took place at his home in Beliaghata.

Former medical superintendent and vice principal of the hospital Sanjay Vashisth, and another professor of the forensic-medicine department of the institute, were questioned as well.

In its First Information Report, the CBI has named Ghosh and three Kolkata-based private entities — Ma Tara Traders of Madhya Jhorehat, Banipur, Howrah; Eshan CafA of 4/1, Belgachia and Khama Louha.
They have been accused under Indian Penal Code sections of 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating) and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

A postgraduate woman doctor was raped and murdered in the seminar hall of the hospital on August 9, leading to massive outrage and nationwide protests by doctors and the civil society.

A Kolkata Police civic volunteer has been arrested for the crime.

The CBI, which took over the case following an order by the High Court, has indicated that the crime scene could have been tampered with, reinforcing the allegations of a cover-up.

(With Agencies)

Kolkata:

The newly appointed principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Suhrita Paul, has been removed from her post. The government’s move came after a delegation of students met officials at the Swasthya Bhavan.

The medical students had held a march from the CGO Complex (CBI office) to Swasthya Bhavan.  The protesting doctors had demanded that the new principal be removed.

Her transfer is seen as a capitulation on part of the government which had appointed the health ministry official to the post n August 12 – the day it also transferred RG Kar’s Sandip Ghosh to the premier Calcutta’s National Medical College. That move had backfired, with stern criticism coming from the Calcutta High Court, and escalation of student protests drawing the attention of the Supreme Court. 

Like Sandip Ghosh at the National Medical College, Suhrita Paul did not gain acceptance of the protesting students and just three days after the appointment, had a face-off with them.  

After the midnight vandalism at the hospital on August 15, Suhrita Paul lost her cool with the students. As the protesting doctors demanded that she take immediate action regarding the midnight mob attack and meet the students’ demands, Ms Paul retorted, “If you can’t trust me for one hour then send me home also”.

The reference was to the fate of her predecessor Sandip Ghosh, who has been sent on a long leave by the Calcutta High Court, which was furious over his new posting less than 12 hours after his resignation.

“I need one hour to do some official work. You need to believe me, I won’t go. You have to believe me. If you can’t believe me then don’t expect anything from me,” Suhrita Paul had said.