The Supreme Court on Tuesday questioned the West Bengal police on several issues, including the delay in filing the First Information Report (FIR), the delay in returning the victim’s body to her family, and the alleged failure to protect women and doctors during a mob attack at RG Kar Medical College.

The Court has also directed medical professionals to resume their duties. However, shortly after initially calling off their strike, the resident doctors at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (RML) decided to continue their protest. They are standing in solidarity with other resident doctors’ associations that have been demanding a central law to ensure doctors’ safety following the rape and murder of a Kolkata medic.

Also Read:SC hearing on Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder case: Top arguments made in Court today

Here the top five development in the case:

  1. Supreme court’s intervention: The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, has highlighted the systemic issue of doctor safety nationwide in response to the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata. The bench came down heavily on the West Bengal government’s handling of the case and announced the formation of a National Task Force to address gender-based violence and ensure safe working conditions for medical professionals.
  2. Doctors’ strike continues: Resident doctors at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, initially calling off their strike, have decided to continue their protest in solidarity with other doctors’ bodies. They emphasize the need for a unified stance and a central law to ensure doctors’ safety, correcting earlier miscommunications and reaffirming their commitment to collective action.
  3. IMA to work with a panel appointed by SC : Welcoming the Supreme Court’s intervention to protect medical professionals, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) announced on Tuesday that it will collaborate with the committee appointed by the Court to address safety, security, and related issues. The IMA also reaffirmed that enacting a central law to combat violence against doctors remains non-negotiable.
  4. Accused’s family claims possible involvement of others : Durga Devi, the mother-in-law of the accused Sanjoy Roy, has suggested that there may be additional individuals involved in the crime. She described a tense relationship with Roy and a prior incident involving physical assault on her daughter. Her claims could potentially impact the ongoing investigation.
  5. Governor assures support to victim’s family : West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has intervened after the parents of the deceased woman doctor complained about not receiving a copy of the FIR. Bose assured them that he would look into the matter, spoke with the father, and promised to visit their residence in Sodepur near Kolkata. He expressed his support and commitment to ensuring justice for the victim.