‘Will remove you from court’: CJI to lawyer seeking CM Mamata Banerjee’s removal

Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud on Tuesday rapped a senior counsel seeking the court’s direction for the removal of Mamata Banerjee as West Bengal chief minister for her alleged failure over rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor inside RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
The Supreme court witnessed heated arguments as it continued its suo motu hearing into the Kolkata rape-murder case on Tuesday.
As the court was about to conclude its hearing for the day, a senior counsel tried filing an interlocutory application seeking the resignation of CM Mamata Banerjee. Responding orally to the counsel, CJI Chandrachud expressed his displeasure at the political nature of the application.
Chandrachud intervened as the counsel sought to file his petition. “One second, who are you appearing for? This is not a political forum. Please, you are a member of the bar. We don’t require your affirmation to what we say, please listen. What you say has to abide by the rules of legal discipline. We are not here to hear what you feel about a political functionary or the other, that’s not our concern,” Chandrachud said.
He also explained that the court is focussed on listening to the grievances of the protesting junior doctors in Kolkata. “If you ask me to direct that the chief minister to resign, that’s not part of our remit,” Chandrachud added.
The chief justice intervened again as the counsel continued to make his submissions despite a word of advice from the top judge. “One second. Listen to me first, otherwise I will have you removed from the court,” warned Chandrachud before the court concluded its hearing for the day.
The West Bengal Junior Doctors Forum has made it clear that they are not demanding the resignation of the chief minister but only want their five point demands to be implemented in a concrete manner.
The bench went through the confidential status report by the CBI and observed that any public disclosure might jeopardise further course of investigation. It asked the agency to submit a fresh status on progress into the case by September 24.
The victim doctor’s father also wrote to the court over certain leads unearthed by the agency. CJI asked the CBI to listen to his concerns during the course of further investigation. Senior lawyer Indira Jaisingh appearing for the junior doctors said they will provide names of persons present at the crime scene to aid further probe into the case.
The apex court also discussed concerns of protesting junior doctors on punitive action by the state government, the progress on safety measures for hospitals in West Bengal among other issues.
(With inputs from agencies)