The Supreme Court on Wednesday postponed the hearing of the suo-motu case related to the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital to January 29, citing a paucity of time. The horrific crime, which occurred on August 9 last year, led to widespread protests in West Bengal and nationwide outrage.
The case had drawn significant attention after a Kolkata trial court on January 20 sentenced the convict, Sanjay Roy, to life imprisonment "till death." The apex court bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K.V. Viswanathan, stated that the hearing would resume next Wednesday at 2 PM due to time constraints and the filing of three fresh applications in the matter.
Senior advocate Karuna Nandy, appearing for the Association of Junior and Senior Doctors, had requested an urgent hearing of the matter. The case had earlier reached the Supreme Court when it took suo-motu cognizance of the incident.
On December 10 last year, the top court expressed confidence in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for its handling of the case, noting that the trial was proceeding on a day-to-day basis at the special CBI court in Sealdah. The trial court’s recent judgment, awarding life imprisonment to the convict, has since been challenged by some, who argue that the crime warranted a death penalty.
The heinous nature of the crime, involving the rape and murder of an on-duty medical trainee, sparked outrage among healthcare professionals and the general public. Doctors across the country had protested, demanding justice and stricter safety measures for medical workers.