Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud on Tuesday delivered a stern rebuke to a senior counsel attempting to politicise the Supreme Court’s ongoing suo motu hearing on the Kolkata rape and murder case. The counsel had sought a directive from the court, pleading for the removal of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, blaming her for the alleged failure to prevent the tragic incident involving a postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
As the day’s hearing was nearing its end, the senior counsel made an unexpected move, filing an application that called for Banerjee’s resignation. CJI Chandrachud swiftly intervened, expressing clear disapproval of the political tone of the request. “This is not a political forum,” he asserted. “You are a member of the bar. What you say must adhere to legal discipline. We are not here to entertain your views about a political figure.”
Chandrachud made it unequivocally clear that the court's primary focus was on addressing the grievances of the junior doctors protesting in Kolkata, not on political posturing. “If you ask me to direct the chief minister to resign, that’s not within our jurisdiction,” he remarked, dismissing the counsel’s plea.
Undeterred, the counsel persisted in his submissions, prompting a stronger response from the Chief Justice. “Listen to me first, or I will have you removed from the court,” Chandrachud warned, before calling an end to the day’s proceedings.
The West Bengal Junior Doctors Forum had previously clarified that their protest was not a call for the chief minister’s resignation, but rather for the implementation of their five-point demands, which include enhanced safety measures in hospitals.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court also reviewed a confidential status report submitted by the CBI on the investigation into the doctor’s murder. The bench, while urging caution, stressed that public disclosure of certain details could compromise the ongoing probe. The CBI was instructed to submit an updated status report by September 24.
In addition, the victim's father raised concerns over specific leads uncovered by the CBI. CJI Chandrachud directed the agency to take his inputs seriously during the investigation. Senior advocate Indira Jaisingh, representing the junior doctors, assured the court that they would provide the names of individuals present at the crime scene to assist in furthering the inquiry.
The court also addressed the junior doctors' concerns about possible punitive action from the state government and ongoing issues surrounding safety in West Bengal hospitals, setting the stage for a deeper examination of these critical matters in the coming days.