The Supreme Court has ordered the West Bengal government to refrain from assigning civic volunteers to hospitals, schools, and other sensitive locations. This decision comes in the wake of the alleged involvement of a civic volunteer in the rape and murder of a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. The court raised concerns about whether these placements amount to “political patronage” for unverified individuals.
A bench led by Chief Justice Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud demanded accountability and transparency from the state, instructing it to submit an affidavit outlining the legal framework for hiring civic volunteers, their qualifications, the institutions they serve, and their remuneration structure. The affidavit must also detail measures taken to prevent volunteers from being assigned to sensitive areas.
The court highlighted the potential for misuse of such recruitment practices, noting that Sanjay Roy, the accused in the case, was deployed at the hospital without verification and stayed in police barracks on the premises. “This can be a way to confer political patronage on unverified individuals,” the bench remarked, requesting a detailed affidavit from the state within three weeks.
The court’s scrutiny followed submissions from senior advocate Karuna Nundy, representing a group of doctors, who revealed that over 1,500 civic volunteers were deployed at the time. Advocate Vrinda Grover, representing the victim’s parents, pointed out that Roy not only faced domestic violence charges but also had access to police vehicles and lived in police barracks. Senior counsel Indira Jaising supported these concerns.
Defense attorney Rakesh Dwivedi informed the bench that Roy was recruited under a Kolkata Police notification, but that new recruitments have been halted since the August incident. He noted that recent hires were made under the Private Security Agency Regulation Act of 2005.
The court sought clarification on the recruitment process for civic volunteers, especially regarding their roles in hospitals, schools, and police stations. “We need to know how many civic volunteers are there, their qualifications, and how they were appointed,” it stated.
The proceedings initiated by the court in August underscore serious security and accountability issues surrounding West Bengal’s civic volunteer program, especially after the tragic incident at RG Kar Medical College. Roy was arrested a day after the crime and has been chargesheeted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which took over the investigation on orders from the Calcutta High Court. The case has led to widespread protests, with medical professionals calling for enhanced security in public healthcare facilities.
During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta provided a status report from the National Task Force (NTF), tasked with recommending improvements for the safety and working conditions of medical professionals. While the NTF requested additional time for deliberation, the court expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of progress since the last meeting on September 9.
The bench urged the Union government to expedite the NTF’s work, emphasizing the need for regular meetings to ensure substantial recommendations are presented by the next hearing, scheduled in three weeks.
In addition to this, Mehta updated the court on the CBI’s investigation into the rape and murder case, as well as financial irregularities at RG Kar Hospital, implicating former principal Sandip Ghosh. The CBI confirmed that a chargesheet against Roy was filed on October 7, and the case has been moved to an additional sessions court for consideration on November 4.
The court instructed the CBI to submit a follow-up status report within three weeks, ensuring it remains informed of developments in both the criminal and financial investigations.
