SC asks Wikipedia to remove victim's name, raps WB govt over 'no night shift' order for women doctors: Top points

The Supreme Court on Tuesday heard the rape and murder case of the 31-year-old junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

The hearing comes a day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a “successful” meeting with the protesting junior doctors after a week of impasse.

The case was heard by a three-judge bench comprising CJI DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.

Here are the top points from the hearing:

• The prime accused in the rape and murder of the trainee doctor, Sanjay Roy, was a civic volunteer attached to the Kolkata Police. The top court questioned the West Bengal government as to why it hires private security personnel on contractual basis under the “Rattirer Sathi” scheme and noted that Roy was also employed on contract

• SC also rapped the Trinamool Congress for a notification it posted earlier restricting women doctors from working night shifts. “How can you say women cannot work at night? Why limit the women doctors? They don’t want a concession…women are ready to work at exactly the same time shift,” the CJI said

• Meanwhile, Kapil Sibal, representing the West Bengal government, informed the court that the administration is taking steps to “create a degree of confidence” among doctors so they can return to work in safer environments. “Work has begun for making resting rooms for male and female doctors, which will be completed in 7-14 days. Additional toilets and CCTV camera installation will be completed in 7-14 days,” Sibal said

• The apex court directed the CBI to submit a status report on the probe into alleged financial irregularities at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. It also perused the status report filed by the CBI concerning the rape and murder incident and said disclosing the status will jeopardise further investigation

• The CJI-led bench said that it is “disturbed” by CBI’s report that reveals how the junior doctor’s body was sent for post-mortem and how samples were seized

• The Solicitor General, appearing for the CBI, submitted that Wikipedia was still showing the name and photo of the victim. The top court then directed Wikipedia to remove the name of the victim. “In the interest of maintaining the dignity and privacy of the deceased, the governing principle is that the identity of the victim in a rape and murder case shall not be disclosed. Wikipedia shall take steps to comply with the previous order passed,” the bench said

With inputs from agencies