Calcutta High Court on Tuesday ord – er ed a CBI investi – gation into the rape and murder of a woman post-graduate trainee (PGT) doctor at the RG Kar Medical college and Hospital last Friday and asked police to hand over the case diary and other material related to the case to the Central agency forthwith. Following the court orders, it is understood, the CBI has registered an FIR and a specialised team is being sent to the city from Delhi.

Earlier in the day, the division bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmoy Bhattacharya, hearing five PILs filed in connection with the rape and murder of the doctor, raised several pointed questions on the actions of police and the hospital authorities in the wake of the horrific incident. “Even after five days there have been no significant conclusions which should have happened by now. Therefore, we are justified that there is every possibility that evidence will be destroyed. We deem it appropriate that the case must be transferred to CBI with immediate effect,” the court said.

Chief Justice Sivagn – anam, during the hearing, asked why an unnatural death was lodged at first instead of filing a murder case and why the hospital superintendent or principal did not lodge any complaint with police regarding the incident. The court came down heavily on Dr Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of the state-run college, saying it was “disheartening” that he was not “proactive”. The court also criticised the fact that the former principal was appointed in the same role in another college soon after he resigned and said he must be immediately relieved of his duties and sent on leave. The bench ordered Kolkata Police to hand over the probe to the CBI with all relevant documents, including the case diary and CCTV footage it might have seized with immediate effect.

The court also asked the state government to furnish the progress report of investigation when the case is taken up for hearing after three weeks. Meanwhile, junior doctors across the state continued their ce a sework on Tuesday protesting the rape and murder of their colleague, even as the state government made an appeal to them to resume work and restore normal services in medical colleges and hospitals.