India’s high court orders probe into rape, murder of doctor at hospital

NEW DELHI, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) — High court in India’s eastern state of West Bengal Tuesday ordered that country’s premier investigating agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), should probe the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a medical college and hospital in Kolkata, officials said.
The decision from the court came amid widespread protests over the gruesome rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on Friday.
“Even after five days, there have been no significant conclusions which should have happened by now. Therefore, we are justified that there is every possibility that evidence will be destroyed. We deem it appropriate that the case be transferred to CBI with immediate effect,” Calcutta High Court said in its order.
The court asked police in West Bengal to hand over all documents to the CBI immediately.
The court’s order came while hearing a bunch of pleas over the matter, including one from the victim’s parents demanding an investigation by an independent body to ensure that evidence is not tampered with.
Local media reports said hours after the order, the CBI took over the investigation and asked police in West Bengal to hand over the case documents.
A team of CBI officials from Delhi along with forensic scientists and medical experts are likely to visit Kolkata on Wednesday, reports said.
Earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said police in Kolkata must complete their probe by Sunday, failing which the state government would recommend a CBI probe if the victims’ parents want.
Resident doctors at government hospitals across the country went on an indefinite strike Monday to protest the incident.
In the wake of the strike, hospital services were disrupted Tuesday in several Indian cities, including Kolkata.
Protests from doctors were held in other cities like New Delhi, Lucknow, Goa and Maharashtra.
Hundreds of doctors on Monday staged a protest demonstration in Kolkata to denounce the killing and demand justice for the victim. ■