The Supreme Court on Monday lashed out at the State of West Bengal over slow progress in implementing security measures across government-run medical colleges and hospitals.
The Bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice J B Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra asked the counsel appearing for the State of West Bengal about the steps taken to install CCTV cameras, construct toilets, create separate restrooms for male & female doctors and install biometrics in state-run hospitals and medical colleges.
The counsel apprised the Bench about the logistical delays due to floods in the state.
After going through the status report filed by the State on steps taken to enhance security infrastructure across government hospitals in West Bengal, the Bench pointed out that no work was completed above 50 percent.
The Apex Court gave the West Bengal government time till October 15 to complete the pending works.
After perusing the report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation on the murder and rape of the trainee doctor as well as the alleged financial irregularities in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the Bench directed the CBI to file the next report by October 7.
The top court of the country further sought a report from the 10-member National Task Force (NTF) it constituted earlier to look into the matter of safety and security of doctors across the country, as well as to formulate a protocol for the implementation of the same.
The counsels representing senior and junior Doctors from West Bengal informed the Apex Court that those under CBI investigation in the murder and rape case were still employed at the hospital and tgwt threat culture persisted at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Senior Advocate Indira Jaisingh requested the Bench that till the investigation by CBI was completed, those under probe should be suspended as they were holding a position of power and that doctors were yet not feeling safe in the hospital.
The Bench directed CBI to apprise the Court about these individuals by next hearing.
The counsel representing the State of West Bengal apprised the top court of the country that they have already suspended five doctors in the case.
Advocate Vrinda Grover apprised the Court that parents of the deceased victim were affected by repeated clips in social media disclosing her name and photos. The Apex Court said it had already passed an order on this issue and it was for the law enforcement agencies to implement the order.
The Supreme Court’s earlier order on not publishing the picture and name of the rape and murder victim at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital was applicable to all social media intermediaries, it added.
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