Kolkata rape case updates: Supreme Court begins hearing, CBI to submit status report

As an outcome of talks between the state government and the protesting junior doctors, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced that Kolkata Police commissioner Vineet Goyal, deputy commissioner of Kolkata police, north, and two senior officials of health department would be replaced.

The protesting junior doctors had been insisting on five-point demands which include the removal of Kolkata Police commissioner Vineet Goyal and senior officials of the state health department as well as increased security and safety for doctors and ending the ‘threat culture’ in the State-run hospitals.

Talks were held after the chief secretary’s email mentioned the invite for talks as “the fifth and the final time” the state is reaching out for a meeting between the chief minister and the junior doctors delegation. As a compromise over demand for live streaming of talks, the government allowed the delegation to bring its own stenographers and also agreed to provide a signed copy of the minutes of the meeting.

Welcoming the decision to replace officials, junior doctors said, “we will continue with our ‘cease work’ and demonstration here at the ‘Swasthya Bhawan’ (health department headquarters) till the promises made by the CM materialise”.

The medics have been protesting in defiance of the Supreme Court directive to resume duties by 5pm on September 10. The West Bengal Junior Doctors Forum will be represented by senior lawyer Indira Jaising when the apex court continues its suo motu hearing today.