Kapil Sibal asks SC to stop live streaming in RG Kar case, says lawyers receive ‘threats’

The Supreme Court on Tuesday resumed hearings in the ex officio case of rape and murder of a serving junior doctor at the government-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

At the beginning of the hearing, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the West Bengal government, requested the Supreme Court to stop the live telecast of the case as they were being threatened with “acid attacks”. He said that they were not appearing for the accused but were still facing such threats. Sibal also told the court that women lawyers in his office were receiving rape threats.

“What happens when you broadcast live such cases which have huge intangible impact… we are not representing the accused, we have a 50-year-old reputation! … It is also about our reputation! Where did I laugh? This is not fair! It spreads to the women in our chamber,” Sibal told the court.

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However, the court headed by CJI DY Chandrachud stated that it was a matter of public interest and stressed that it was a public hearing.

CJI Chandrachud further said that the court would look into any threats, but refused to stop the live broadcast of the case.

The Supreme Court in the previous hearing had directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a fresh report in the Kolkata rape and murder case after the central investigation agency raised doubts about the forensic report in the case. Today, on Tuesday, the CBI submitted a confidential status report to the Supreme Court on the status of the investigation in the case. Apart from the rape and murder, the CBI is also investigating former RG director Kar Sandip Ghosh and others in connection with the crime and alleged financial irregularities in the hospital under their supervision.

In the last hearing, SG Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, said that they are planning to send the samples to AIIMS Delhi and other CFSLs for re-examination. SG Mehta said that the question of “who took the samples” is a relevant question.

“We have a report of the forensic examination and one thing is certain: when the girl was found at 9.30 am, her jeans and underwear were removed and lying nearby… also, half-naked spots and injury marks were found on the body… They have taken samples. They have been sent to CFSL in West Bengal. Look at the results… the CBI has decided to send the sample to AIIMS and another lab,” SG Mehta said.

Without revealing much about the investigation, the CBI pointed to the findings of the report of the Central Forensic Science Lab (CFSL) in Kolkata. The Supreme Court had also raised a question about a missing autopsy report in the previous hearing.

After going through the fresh status report filed by the CBI today, the court has not made any further statements on the investigation. The top court stated that any disclosure of the CBI’s investigation would jeopardise the trial and said that the objective of the CBI is to bring out the truth.