Kolkata rape-murder: SC dismisses plea to reinvestigate RG case, directs parents to approach Calcutta HC

The Supreme Court on Monday disposed off a plea moved by the parents of the victim in the Kolkata trainee doctor rape and murder case, seeking a reinvestigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation. The top court said the parents were free to approach the Calcutta High Court.

Hearing the suo motu case taken in the wake of the incident in West Bengal, a bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna disposed off the parents’ plea seeking a reinvestigation of the case and said they were free to approach the Calcutta High Court. The victim’s parents were present in court during the proceedings. “Without making comments, we dispose of the application observing that the applicant is at liberty to pursue the proceedings before the High Court,” Live Law reported quoting the bench.

In January, the Sealdah court in Kolkata convicted Sanjay Roy, the sole accused in the case, to imprisonment till death for the rape and murder of the young trainee doctor at the hospital premises. The victim was found dead at the seminar hall on the third floor of the hospital on August 9, 2024. Kolkata police soon arrested Roy, who was working as a civic volunteer at the hospital. The incident led to widespread protests in West Bengal with junior doctors boycotting duty for weeks.

The CBI which took over the probe in the case also concluded Sanjay Roy was the sole accused in the case. The central agency later approached the Calcutta High Court against the trial court’s order and sought the death penalty for the convict. The parents also sought further probe arguing staff at the hospital, who were present on the third floor at the time of the incident were not interrogated by the agency. 

Separately, the Enforcement Directorate is also probing financial irregularities at the institution and has arrested former principal Sandip Ghosh in connection with the case.