Kolkata HC to decide if RG Kar case can be heard by single bench amid ongoing SC review

The Kolkata High Court has directed that a division bench decide whether a single bench can hear the RG Kar case, which is currently under consideration by the Supreme Court. Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, while retaining the case under his review, has instructed Abhaya’s family to approach the appropriate bench to clarify whether the case can be heard by a single bench of the High Court. The division bench is expected to deliver a decision on this matter by January 15.

During the hearing, Sudipto Maitra, the lawyer for Abhaya’s family, clarified that they were not seeking a CBI investigation from the division bench. Maitra emphasized that the family’s primary concern was ensuring a transparent and impartial investigation. He pointed out that the family was not asking for a new investigation, but wanted the existing process to be conducted openly and without bias.

The case is being monitored by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has already submitted a status report to the Supreme Court outlining the progress of its investigation. Rajdeep Majumdar, representing the CBI, stated that the agency had provided the Supreme Court with a detailed update on the investigation's developments. Majumdar added that the High Court had placed its trust in the CBI’s work and that the agency had been diligent in submitting progress reports to both the Supreme Court and the High Court.

Justice Ghosh raised concerns about whether any new petitions or motions had been filed that were outside the scope of the ongoing Supreme Court proceedings. The family’s lawyer responded that the original case had been filed by doctors in the High Court, and the family had been included as a party. He further mentioned that the CBI had provided reports on infrastructure developments related to the investigation but had not submitted any new requests to the High Court.

Justice Ghosh concluded by advising the family’s lawyer to seek a decision from the division bench on whether the case could be heard by a single bench. The judge emphasized the importance of following the appropriate judicial processes and warned that bypassing them could result in complications for the family. The division bench is expected to provide its ruling on January 15, which will determine the future course of the case.