"We are losing hope in everything — government, law and order, and everything else," shared a doctor of RG Kar, Paramitha Thander, pointing out the delay in the RG Kar case, which is before the Supreme Court. It has been over four months since the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee at RG Kar Medical College, and the case is yet to see a conclusion.
During the hearing in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, December 10, the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) said the trial is likely to be completed in another month. Following a detailed inquiry about the trial progress in the Sealdah court of West Bengal, the Supreme Court has directed the National Task Force (NTF) to submit a final report, and the next hearing is scheduled for March 17, 2025.
Reacting to the next hearing date, which is almost four months from now, the doctors who played a significant role during the protest expressed disappointment and distress. "How can anyone be this reluctant? It should have been fast-tracked, but it is being postponed taareekh pe taareekh (date upon date)," Thander expressed agitatedly.
A member of the West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front (WBJDF), the prominent body that led the protest for Justice for Abhaya, Dr Soumyadip Roy said, "This case should be escalated as soon as possible. We express our disappointment and call for a prompt resolution."
"Despite stating that the CBI has not yet submitted a supplemental chargesheet regarding tampering evidence at RG Kar. If the Supreme Court delays the hearing, the local court hearings will also be affected. Who will pressurise the CBI about the supplementary chargesheet apart from the Supreme Court?" Roy agonised.
An MBBS doctor from Kolkata, Dr Abhinaba Pal, said, "It's an absolute disappointment knowing the carelessness and hostile attitude of the Supreme Court of India even after taking suo moto cognisance of the RG Kar case. The appointment of a new CJI had given us hope, but I guess that is not the case."
"The previous hearings and discussions on the matter were condensed to minutes; meanwhile, other topics of lesser importance were heard. Additionally, the role of the CBI remains questionable," Pal pointed out.
Adwitiya Dutta, a member of WBJDF, said, "The world moves on; the hospitals are also working at full capacity, but the parents of the victim still await justice, and we, the residents, still work at the hospital but in fear and with despair."
"We feel more vulnerable and scared because the arrested people were released on bail today (December 13). We have lost faith in the whole law and order system; they have failed us, and also, we have failed our colleague, Abhaya," Dutta said sadly.
Today, the Sealdah Court in West Bengal granted bail to Tala police station's former officer in charge, Abhijit Mondal and RG Kar Medical College's former principal, Dr Sandip Ghosh, as the CBI failed to file the chargesheet within a 90-day period, reported The Hindustan Times.
"Even the fact that advocate Vrinda Gover has chosen to withdraw from the case due to differences between the complainant and the legal team shows how grave the situation is. But nonetheless, our hands are tied. All we can do is wait and hope so that Abhaya can finally, someday, get Justice," Pal concluded.
