Kolkata doctor rape case: SC takes suo motu cognizance, Chief Justice Chandrachud-led bench to hear case on August 20

Kolkata doctor rape case: The Supreme Court of India has taken suo motu cognizance of the rape and murder of a woman doctor in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. According to the cause list of August 20 uploaded on the apex court website, a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud is scheduled to hear on Tuesday a matter titled 'In Re: Alleged rape and murder incident of a trainee doctor in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata and related issue'.

The Calcutta High Court had recently transferred the probe from the Kolkata Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Suo moto cognizance, a Latin term meaning "on its own motion," is a unique power vested in the Indian judiciary that allows it to take notice of a matter without receiving a formal petition or complaint.

Meanwhile, students of different medical colleges took out a procession in Kolkata on Sunday, demanding justice for the doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Armed with posters and placards, the medics raised slogans seeking exemplary punishment for the perpetrators of the crime that happened on August 9.

Braving heavy rains, the medics walked in ankle-deep waters from College Street to Shyambazar.

They also raised slogans demanding an early conclusion of the investigation by the CBI, which was handed over the probe by the Calcutta High Court.

The postgraduate trainee doctor was raped and murdered while on duty at the RG Kar Hospital. When a demonstration was underway against the gruesome incident in the early hours of August 15, a mob ransacked parts of the hospital premises, potentially attempting to destroy evidence, reports claimed.

The mob of between 5,000 and 7,000 people, including several individuals, invaded RG Kar Hospital, attacked protesting doctors and medical students, and attempted to ransack the premises, forcing security officials to disperse the crowd.

On August 16, Kolkata police said they had arrested 19 miscreants allegedly involved in the mob violence at the hospital premises.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday the psychological testing of the accused ‘civic volunteer’ Sanjoy Roy in the rape and murder case of the postgraduate trainee doctor in Kolkata.

The ‘civic volunteer’ was arrested after the body of the woman was found in a seminar hall on the premises of Kolkata's RG Kar hospital on August 9.

(More details awaited)