Kolkata Doctor Rape and Murder: SC Rejects Plea to Stop Live Streaming & Resignation of WB CM

The Supreme Court on Tuesday junked a plea seeking the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee against the backdrop of rape and murder of a doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, and also rejected a plea by the West Bengal government not to live stream the proceedings in the case.

New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Tuesday junked a plea seeking the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee against the backdrop of rape and murder of a doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, and also rejected a plea by the West Bengal not to live stream the proceedings in the case.

A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud told a counsel, “This is not a political forum alright. You are a member of the bar. We do not require your affirmation of what we say. What you say has to abide by the rules of legal discipline….”.

The bench, also comprising justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, reprimanded the lawyer for his plea and said it does not have a remit to pass such an order.

The bench told the lawyer that it is keen to entertain his contention regarding what he feels about a political functionary. “We are dealing with the specific grievances of the doctors. If you ask me to direct that CM should resign, that's not part of our remit," the CJI said.

Earlier, during the hearing the apex court refused to entertain a contention by the West Bengal government against the live streaming of the proceedings in the case. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal said lawyers’, representing the state government, were being threatened and vilified.

However, the CJI told Sibal, "we will not stop the live streaming… it is a matter of public interest…."

Sibal, making submissions against the live streaming of the proceedings in the matter, said as the moment judges make a comment on this highly emotive issue, there is a public reaction.

Sibal said 50 years of his reputation, which is being destroyed and it is being destroyed overnight and added that in the Swapnil Tripathi judgment (related to live streaming), this court had said live streaming may be avoided in highly emotive cases. Sibal said women lawyers’ were being threatened with rape or acid attacks. The CJI made it clear that any lawyer appearing for any side in any matter cannot be threatened.

"We will take care of that….," the bench said. Sibal said it is being claimed that he was laughing and he was not laughing during the proceedings and he is being vilified. “It is the most heinous crime which was committed and there are threats to women in our chamber”, said Sibal.

On the aspect of the CBI’s status report, the CJI said, “We are absolutely confident it would be revealing the truth and further truth, it would be unwise to make any comment on this at the moment”.