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RG Kar case hearing: Supreme Court directs junior doctors to resume work by 5 pm tomorrow

by TRANS WORLD FEATURES | @twfindia 09 Sep 2024, 01:33 pm

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has directed junior doctors, who are on ceasework protesting against the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, to resume their services.

The advocate representing the junior doctors claimed the protesters are not confident to resume work over the threats they are still receiving.

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said no action will be taken against the junior doctors if they resume work by 5 pm on Tuesday.

The CJI said the court will not be able to restrain the state government from taking action if the junior doctors continue with their protests.

The CJI said, "We can record that if doctors resume to work, no adverse action but if they do not resume work as doctors then we cannot restrain state govt from taking actions"

"In order to create a sense of confidence we state that in the event that doctors come to work by 5 PM tomorrow, not adverse actions.....if there is continuous abstention from work despite the facilities given there will be likelihood of action in future.

"We know what is happening on the ground, but doctors must now come back to work, they cannot say senior doctors are working so we will not work, we have put everyone on notice."

The State's counsel, advocate Kapil Sibal claimed in the hearing that 23 doctors have died due to the junior doctors' ceasework.

In the previous hearing held last month, the CJI had urged the junior doctors to resume work restraining the government from any action against them.

In the third hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that the CCTV footage which has been handed over was of only 27 minutes.

Advocate Kapil Sibal, who is representing the State, said the footage was handed over to the CBI in its entirety.

The Solicitor General said the victim's body was found in semi-naked state.

The victim's body had injury marks, said the Solicitor General.