Kolkata Rape-Murder Case: Indira Jaising to represent junior doctors in Supreme Court

Jaising, renowned for her advocacy of women’s rights and discrimination, has obtained Luthra's consent to take over the representation.

Acclaimed lawyer Indira Jaising will represent the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Forum (WBJDF) at the Supreme Court hearing on September 17. The WBJDF is leading the protest against the brutal rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College & Hospital last month. Previously, the WBJDF was represented by senior advocate Geeta Luthra.

Jaising, renowned for her advocacy of women’s rights and discrimination, has obtained Luthra's consent to take over the representation.

Aniket Mahato, a prominent junior doctor and a key figure in the movement, has confirmed Jaising's role as counsel for WBJDF. Jaising is known for her efforts in advancing the practice of live-streaming Supreme Court proceedings, which was approved by a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud.

Additionally, senior counsel Karuna Nandi and Sabyasachi Chattopadhyay will represent the Joint Platform of Doctors, West Bengal, an association of senior doctors supporting the junior doctors' protest.

The Government of West Bengal will continue to be represented by Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal.

Jaising’s involvement is particularly significant given the recent breakdown in meetings between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and WBJDF representatives. The state administration rejected the junior doctors' request to live-stream the meetings, citing the ongoing Supreme Court case as the reason.

Junior doctors at Kolkata's state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital have been on strike since August 9 following the horrific rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor. To address the situation, West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant extended a "fifth and final" invitation on September 16 for talks with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The chief minister had earlier made a surprise visit to the protest site on September 14, where she assured the doctors that their grievances would be addressed. However, the proposed meeting did not proceed as planned; the doctors claimed they were kept waiting for hours and were asked to leave "unceremoniously."

The doctors have stated they will deliberate internally before deciding whether to accept the latest invitation.

Meanwhile, on September 9, the Supreme Court had directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to provide a fresh status report on its investigation by September 17. The three-judge bench, led by CJI Chandrachud and including Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, had also urged the protesting doctors to resume work by 5 pm on September 10, following a request from Sibal, who had suggested the court consider potential proceedings against the doctors if they did not comply.

The top court, which is addressing the matter suo moto, will resume hearing the case on September 17.

(With inputs from agencies)