Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who is representing the West Bengal government, objected to the live streaming of the SC proceedings in the RG Kar Hospital rape and murder case. Sibal claimed reputation built over 5 decades would be destroyed by the live streaming of the case.
Urging the Supreme Court to stop the live feed, Sibal complained that it has tarnished the reputation of lawyers and has resulted in threats to them.
Sibal stated that despite not representing the accused, they are still receiving threats. He informed the court that female lawyers in his chamber have been subjected to rape threats.
“Livestreaming cases with such emotional implications can have serious consequences…we have a 50-year reputation at stake! We are not representing the accused! Where was I laughing? This is unjust! These threats are now affecting the women in my chamber,” Sibal told the court.
In response, the CJI DY Chandrachud-led bench emphasised the public interest aspect, maintaining that the court operates openly. The CJI assured that the court would address any threats but refused to halt the livestreaming of the case.
Earlier, the Supreme Court instructed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to submit a new report in the Kolkata rape-murder case, as the agency expressed doubts about the forensic report. Today, the CBI provided a confidential update on the investigation’s progress to the Supreme Court. In addition to investigating the rape and murder, the CBI is also probing the former RG Kar principal, Sandip Ghosh, and others regarding the crime and alleged financial irregularities at the hospital during their tenure.
In the previous hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, mentioned plans to send samples for further analysis to AIIMS Delhi and other forensic labs, noting that the chain of custody of the samples had become a critical question.
“We have a forensic report, and it’s acknowledged that when the girl was found at 9:30 AM, her jeans and undergarments were removed and lying nearby… she was semi-nude with visible injury marks. Samples were taken and sent to the CFSL in West Bengal, but the results prompted the CBI to send them to AIIMS and another lab,” SG Mehta stated.
The CBI also highlighted the findings of the Central Forensic Science Lab (CFSL) report in Kolkata without revealing many details. In a prior hearing, the Supreme Court questioned the absence of an autopsy challan.
After reviewing the latest CBI report, the court refrained from commenting on the ongoing investigation, stressing that revealing details could hinder the process. The court affirmed that the CBI’s efforts aim to uncover the truth.
