Supreme Court refuses to transfer RG Kar case trial outside Bengal

In reply to a lawyer's plea to transfer the RG Kar case which saw the brutal rape and murder of a young medic in Kolkata, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said, "Yes we have done it in cases like Manipur. But we are not doing anything like that here. No such transfer."

In its hearing on Thursday, the apex court bench, also comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra, went through the status report filed by the CBI, which is investigating the heinous crime that occurred in Kolkata on August 9.

"We have seen the sixth status report filed by CBI, which indicates that the Additional Sessions judge has framed charges punishable under Sections 64 and 103 of BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita). The next hearing is on November 11. Since the investigation is underway, we refrain from making observations. Let an updated status report be filed after four weeks," CJI Chandrachud, who will retire this Sunday, was quoted as saying by NDTV.

The bench also reviewed a report by the National Task Force formed to recommend steps to ensure safe working conditions for hospital staff

The Chief Justice ordered circulating the report among Chief Secretaries of all states/Union Territories for suggestions. He said this exercise must be completed in three weeks.

When senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing on behalf of junior doctors in Bengal, raised some objections., the chief justice asked her to submit the suggestions.

As per the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chargesheet, Sanjay Roy is the only man who has been accused of the rape and murder of the PGT doctor at the RG Kar facility on August 9, which triggered public fury and massive protests in West Bengal.

He has been charged under the BNS sections 103(2), 64, 66. The trial in the case will begin on November 11.

Sanjoy is the only person arrested in the RG Kar rape-murder case. In the chargesheet, the CBI has mostly followed the Kolkata Police's claim.

The CBI was handed over the case after the Calcutta High Court expressed dissatisfaction and pointed out several lapses in the investigation by the Kolkata Police.

The top court has been monitoring the case ever since the CBI was shouldered the responsibility of the probe.