The Calcutta High Court has instructed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to submit a detailed report by September 18 on the objectionable social media posts related to the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. This directive was issued amidst the court’s examination of the profoundly distressing comments and images circulating online, which have been condemned as unacceptable by any societal standard.
The victim, a young doctor on duty, was tragically found deceased in the seminar room of the state-run hospital on August 9. This incident sparked widespread national fury and led to the High Court ordering a CBI probe in the second week of August.
During the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that seeks thorough investigation into these cyber offenses linked to the heinous crime, the court questioned the CBI on their capability to block such malicious content online. The division bench, led by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam and including Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, assigned the task to the joint director of CBI, Kolkata, to address the concerns raised by the petitioner regarding these offensive posts.
Following the court’s orders, Additional Solicitor General Asok Kumar Chakrabarti, representing the CBI, noted that the agency does not possess a specialized wing to handle such specific cyber crimes. He suggested that the West Bengal government’s cyber crime branch, which has a dedicated unit for monitoring such issues, should also be tasked to present a separate report on the matter.
The bench has stated it will consider this recommendation at the next hearing, set for September 18, where the PIL will be reviewed alongside other related petitions concerning the tragic events of August 9.
