Supreme Court Permits Calcutta High Court to Hear Writ Petition in RG Kar Rape-Murder Case

On March 17, 2025, the Supreme Court of India allowed the Calcutta High Court to proceed with hearing a pending writ petition filed by the parents of the victim in the RG Kar Rape-Murder Incident. The petition seeks further investigation into the alleged involvement of Sandip Ghosh, the former Principal of RG Kar Medical College, in the cover-up of the crime.

Background of the Case

The case concerns the brutal rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Hospital, Kolkata, on August 9, 2024. In the current proceedings, the parents of the victim have sought continued investigation against Sandip Ghosh and Abhijit Mondal, the former Officer-in-Charge of the police station jurisdictional to the incident, who were arrested for conspiring to cover up the crime.

Application for Clarification

During the proceedings, Senior Advocate Karuna Nundy, representing the parents of the deceased, informed the Supreme Court that an application had been filed by the victim’s father. The application sought clarification that the ongoing Suo Motu case initiated by the Court would not prevent the parents from pursuing a petition in the Calcutta High Court regarding further investigation in the matter.

The petition was particularly concerned with FIR No. RC0482024S0010, filed on August 13, 2024, against Ghosh and Mondal. In December 2024, the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate at Sealdah granted bail to the two accused, citing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)'s failure to file charges within the statutory 90-day period.

The parents are seeking permission to proceed with the writ petition before the Calcutta High Court, which seeks to monitor the CBI investigation and address concerns regarding the default bail granted to the accused and the incomplete investigation into the alleged cover-up.

Supreme Court’s Order

The Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and including Justices Sanjay Kumar and Joymalya Bagchi, did not make any comments on the investigation but allowed the Calcutta High Court to hear the writ petition.

The CJI clarified that the Supreme Court would not express an opinion on whether the investigation should continue but simply allowed the parents to pursue their writ petition in the Calcutta High Court. The Court’s order read:

"Without making comments, we dispose of the application observing that the applicant is at liberty to pursue the writ petition before the HC. We, however, do not express any opinion on what order the HC may pass."

Future Hearing of the Suo Motu Case

The Supreme Court also noted that it would address the main issues related to the Suo Motu case on a non-miscellaneous day beginning May 13, 2025. This will include consideration of the National Task Force (NTF)'s recommendations and other related matters.

Previous Developments

In August 2024, the Calcutta High Court had transferred the investigation into the financial irregularities by Sandip Ghosh at RG Kar Medical College to the CBI, further emphasizing the significance of the case.

Case Title: In Re: Alleged Rape and Murder of Trainee Doctor in RG Kar Medical College Hospital Kolkata and Related Issues