HC not to act on victim’s parents’ plea for fresh probeo

R.G. Kar Medical College (photo:SNS)


The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday held that it will not act on the petition for a fresh probe in the ghastly rape and murder of a woman junior doctor of R G Kar Medical College & Hospital in August this year unless certain things in the matter are clarified.

As the petition for a fresh probe, filed by the parents of the victim, came up for hearing at the single-judge Bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, he observed that first there is a need for clarification on whether the ongoing probe in the matter by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is monitored by the Supreme Court or not.

The single Bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, to whom the petitioners moved with a prayer seeking a fresh probe on the rape and murder of the junior doctor, today declined to intervene in the case on the ground that another case was pending at the division Bench of chief justice of the court.

The next date of hearing has been scheduled for 15 January, 2025 and by then the petitioners will have to get clarifications either from the apex court or from any division Bench of the Calcutta High Court in the matter.

“There is no problem in hearing the matter. But a clarification is required whether the probe is court-monitored or not,” Justice Ghosh observed.

On Tuesday, the CBI counsel informed Justice Ghosh’s Bench that the probe in the matter by the central agency is being monitored by the apex court of the country. However, the counsel for the petitioners refuted that claim by the CBI counsel.

Thereafter, Justice Ghosh asked for the clarifications on this claim and counterclaim either from the Supreme Court or a division Bench of Calcutta High Court before further hearing in the matter.

Reacting to the observation of the court on Tuesday, the victim’s father told media persons that he would go as far as possible to get justice for his daughter.

“There might be some delay in the process. But we will be waiting with patience. My only aim is to secure justice for my daughter in whatever way possible,” he said.

On 19 December, the victim’s parents approached Justice Ghosh’s Bench seeking court direction for a fresh probe in the matter. The victim’s parents have claimed that they do not have any faith in the course of the current investigation by the central agency in the matter and hence they want a fresh investigation from the beginning in the matter.