SC Defers RG Kar Rape-Murder Suo Motu Case Hearing to November

MP, 7 Oct 2025, Kolkata: The Supreme Court on Tuesday deferred until November the hearing in its suo motu proceedings regarding the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The case sparked nationwide protests after the tragic incident. The bench, led by Justices MM Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma, adjourned the matter due to its engagement with another part-heard case. The Court has been overseeing the issue since taking cognisance of the crime last year, even after the conviction of the accused.

Senior advocate Karuna Nandy, representing the Association of Junior and Senior Doctors, informed the Court that several doctors who participated in peaceful protests had been summoned by the police for questioning. She urged the Court to set an early date for the hearing, citing concerns over the ongoing developments.

On January 20 this year, the Sealdah trial court sentenced civic volunteer Sanjay Roy to "life imprisonment till death" for the brutal rape and murder of the postgraduate trainee doctor. The young doctor's body was found in a seminar room at the state-run medical college on August 9, 2024. The incident led to widespread protests by doctors and citizens alike, demanding justice and better security for healthcare professionals in hospitals.

Initially investigated by the Kolkata Police, the case was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on August 13, 2024, following criticism from the Calcutta High Court of the local police's handling of the case. The Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of the matter on August 19, 2024, and has since been monitoring both the investigation and the broader concerns surrounding the issue.

In November 2024, the National Task Force (NTF), set up by the Supreme Court to propose measures for protecting healthcare workers, submitted its report. The NTF concluded that a separate central law for the protection of medical professionals was unnecessary, as existing state laws and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, already covered such offences.