NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday junked a plea by the West Bengal not to live stream the proceedings in the case related to August 9 Kolkata rape and murder of PG doctor on allegations that the lawyers were threatened, besmirched and vilified.
Hearing the suo motu matter, a bench of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said, "This is a matter of great public importance and public must know what transpires in the courtroom."
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the West Bengal government, asked the court to live streaming of the proceedings in the matter, as the moment judges made a comment on "this highly emotive issue, there is a public reaction".
"Our 50 years of reputation is besmirched," he said, objecting to social media posts alleging Sibal was laughing on the last date of hearing when the CBI alluded to the brutality of the offence.
Sibal said in the Swapnil Tripathi judgment, concerning live streaming, this court had said live streaming may be avoided in highly emotive cases.
The counsel also claimed women lawyers were being threated with rape or acide attacks.
The bench said, any lawyer appearing for any side in any matter cannot be threatened.
"We will take care of this," the bench said.
During the hearing, the court also went through the CBI's status report and expressed satisfaction over the line of investigation undertaken by the CBI, saying disclosing it might jeopardise the probe.
"We are absolutely confident it would be reveal the truth and further truth, it would be unwise to make any comment on this at the moment," the bench said.
The court said it has seen the line of investigation being carried out and is convinced that it is attempting to unearth the truth and absolute truth.
It said SHO has been arrested and several pieces of important evidence has emerged about destruction of crime scene.
The court also noted the CBI has responded to the manner in which post mortem of the victim was done and addressed the doubts expressed on non-filling of form needed for the post mortem.
The court said CBI has also looked into the role of not only those arrested but those who are complicit to the case. Notably, the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital's ex principal Dr Sandeep Ghosh had also been arrested.
It also noted several important evidence has been obtained on the basis of the letter written by victim's father to the CBI, which raised several issues.
The court also recorded the CBI was already handicapped by the delay of five days in commencing investigation, but said the agency must look into all aspects.
A counsel cited the shoddy manner in which the body was sent for post-mortem and samples seized.
On this, bench said, "What the CBI has revealed is worse and disturbing. We are ourselves disturbed by it."
Referring to September 12 letter of the victim's father expressing several concerns, the bench told the CBI to look into the leads given by him on the crime and investigate them.
The CBI led by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said it has taken care of some of the concerns and would examine all of the concerns and take suitable action.
Senior advocate Karuna Nundy, appearing for senior doctors alleged that financial irregularities at RG Kar hospital was intricately linked to the rape-murder incident. She also claimed the health services were not disrupted as alleged by the state government as the senior doctors were filling in due to absence of junior doctors.
The court asked the CBI to file status report on probe into both the rape-murder as well as financial irregularities.
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