Kolkata, May 16 (IANS) The RG Kar rape and murder case has been transferred to a new bench of the Calcutta High Court. On Saturday, Chief Justice Sujoy Paul specified that the matter would now be heard by the division bench of Justice Shampa Sarkar and Justice Tirthankar Ghosh.

The victim’s family has filed a fresh application in the High Court seeking a CBI probe into the incident of August 9, 2024.

The counsel for the victim’s family has also filed a petition in the High Court seeking permission to visit the scene of the crime at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. In addition, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed an application seeking capital punishment for accused Sanjay Roy, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in the case.

On the other hand, Sanjay Roy, who was convicted by a lower court in the RG Kar rape and murder case, has approached the High Court claiming innocence.

The Chief Justice’s bench observed on Saturday that all petitions connected to the matter, including the plea by the victim’s family seeking permission to visit the crime scene, would now be heard by the new division bench.

It may be recalled that the case was earlier being heard by different benches of the Calcutta High Court. On May 12, the division bench of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha recused itself from hearing the matter after observing that “this important case needs to be heard quickly”. Following that development, the new division bench was constituted.

The victim’s family had earlier filed an application in the High Court seeking permission to visit the place where the medical student was found dead. Justice Mantha’s bench had observed: “The family of the deceased has wanted to visit the crime scene anew. The CBI has no objection to that. Then what is the objection of the state? Because they are not even a party to the case. If the family files a new affidavit and the CBI wants to proceed with the investigation, why would the state object?”

Justice Mantha had also observed that Sanjay Roy’s acquittal plea and the CBI’s plea seeking the death penalty should be heard simultaneously. According to sources, lawyers representing the victim’s family are likely to seek an urgent hearing before the new bench on Monday.

The body of the woman doctor was recovered on August 9, 2024, at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The following day, civic volunteer Sanjay Roy was arrested by Kolkata Police. Later, the CBI took over the investigation following directions from the Calcutta High Court.

On January 18, 2025, the Sealdah court delivered its verdict in the case, finding Sanjay Roy guilty. Judge Anirban Das subsequently sentenced him to life imprisonment on January 20.

However, even before the Sealdah court delivered its verdict, the victim’s parents had approached the High Court raising several questions over the CBI investigation. The petition was filed before the bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh. However, Justice Ghosh had then declined to hear the matter since proceedings related to the RG Kar case were also underway in the Supreme Court at that time.

Subsequently, the victim’s parents filed a similar petition in the Supreme Court, where a hearing was also conducted. However, then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna questioned why the same petition should be heard simultaneously in the apex court. The Supreme Court thereafter observed that the Calcutta High Court would hear the matter, following which proceedings continued there.

–IANS

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