The Supreme Court on Tuesday recorded the CBI’s statement that trial proceedings in the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital would be concluded within one month and gave liberty to the litigants in the matter to approach the top court if the trial is delayed.

The bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar recorded the statement made by solicitor general Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, that trial proceedings were being held daily from Monday to Thursday every week.

Mehta told the bench that so far 43 of the 81 witnesses listed by the CBI have been
examined and the rest would be examined within a month.

The solicitor general, however, clarified that the trial relating to the alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar may take more time as the CBI had yet to obtain sanction for the prosecution of some of the accused who are public servants. He did not elaborate.

Senior advocate Vrinda Grover, who appeared for the victim’s family, expressed hope that the CBI would file a supplementary chargesheet against other persons who allegedly tried to cover up the rape and murder of the third-year postgraduate trainee doctor on August 9.

The crime at the workplace towards the end of a long shift caused nationwide revulsion and triggered passionate street protests.

The Chief Justice of India directed all States and Union Territories to file their response to the latest recommendations made by the court-appointed National Task Force (NTF), submitted on December 4, to prevent violence against doctors and other members of the medical community across the country.

The apex court had on August 20 constituted a 14-member NTF “on the urgent need to formulate protocols” mainly to prevent incidents of rape, sexual harassment of female medical personnel and attacks on the medical fraternity, in the wake of the RG Kar horror.

The NTF has been tasked with the responsibility of evolving various safety measures such as the installation of CCTV cameras at all entry/exit points of hospitals; forming internal complaints committees to prevent sexual harassment of female medical staff, students and nurses; and setting up of police posts to prevent attacks on the medical fraternity by aggrieved kin of patients.

The court scheduled the next hearing for March 17 but granted liberty to the litigants to approach it for a special mentioning if the trial is delayed.