The Supreme Court transferred oversight of the RG Kar Medical College trainee doctor rape and murder case to the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday. A bench comprising Justices MM Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma issued directions for all relevant case documents to be forwarded promptly. The apex court had earlier assumed suo motu cognisance of the matter in 2024 to address broader implications.

In addition to the transfer, the bench mandated that a copy of the current status report be furnished to the victim's parents, promoting greater involvement and transparency for the family. The tragic incident dates back to August 9 of the previous year, when the body of the postgraduate trainee doctor was discovered in a seminar room at the hospital premises.

Kolkata Police effected the arrest of Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer associated with the institution, on the following day. Subsequently, on January 20, a Kolkata trial court convicted Roy and imposed a sentence of life imprisonment until natural death, concluding the primary criminal proceedings.

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The crime generated extensive national indignation and led to extended demonstrations throughout West Bengal, underscoring deficiencies in workplace safety for healthcare workers. Notwithstanding the conviction, the Supreme Court persists in supervising ancillary concerns, such as the formal regularization of doctors' unauthorized absences during related agitations.

Upon initiating suo motu intervention, the apex court established a National Task Force on August 20 of the prior year. This body was charged with developing nationwide protocols to bolster the protection and security measures for medical professionals in light of the grave incident.

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