Kolkata Doctor Rape Case: Tushar Mehta Objects To Kapil Sibal's ‘Laughing’ During Supreme Court Hearing, Says 'Someone Lost A Life, At Least Don't Laugh'

During the Supreme Court hearing on the rape and murder case of a woman doctor at Kolkata's R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, sharply rebuked West Bengal government counsel Kapil Sibal for laughing during the proceedings. Mehta sternly reminded Sibal, "Somebody has lost their life, do not at least laugh," as he highlighted serious discrepancies in the investigation, particularly in the registration of the FIR by the police. ALSO READ: Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder Case: Women Observe Female Blackout Day With Black Profile Photos On Social Media 

The CBI presented a status report to the Supreme Court, revealing significant concerns about the handling of the case. The report indicated that the crime scene had been tampered with, and the victim's family was initially misled into believing that their daughter's death was a suicide. The FIR was only filed at 11:45 pm, after the victim had already been cremated—a delay that Mehta described as "shocking." He emphasized that the victim's friends had suspected foul play and insisted on videography, which eventually led to further scrutiny. ALSO READ: Kolkata Doctor Rape Murder Case: Mallobika Banerjii Attends Protest Against Heinous Crime; Says, ‘How Many More Lives Will It Take For Our Girls To Feel Safe’ 

The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud, expressed deep concern over the delay and the police's handling of the case. The court found it particularly troubling that the postmortem was conducted between 6:10 pm and 7:10 pm on August 9, yet the case was only registered as an unnatural death later that night at 11:30 pm. The bench, which included Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, directed the Kolkata Police officer responsible for registering the initial entry to appear at the next hearing to explain the timeline.

The CBI's investigation has uncovered numerous inconsistencies, suggesting that the initial handling of the case by state authorities was inadequate. Mehta underscored the confusion faced by the victim's parents, who were first told that their daughter had died by suicide and then that she had been murdered, further fueling suspicions of a cover-up.

In response to the ongoing protests by resident doctors over the case, the Supreme Court urged them to return to work, assuring them that no adverse actions would be taken once they resumed their duties. The court recognized the importance of maintaining public health infrastructure and indicated that it would ensure the protesting doctors were not penalized for their actions.

This case, which has shocked the nation, continues to unfold under intense judicial scrutiny, with the Supreme Court closely monitoring the investigation to ensure that justice is served. The troubling details revealed so far have raised serious questions about the initial police investigation and the subsequent handling of the case, leading to widespread calls for accountability.

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