Junior Digest

Kyiv/New Delhi, Aug 23,2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday arrived in Kyiv, in the first ever prime ministerial visit from India to Ukraine. The visit comes amid expectations of India playing peacemaker in the dragging Russia-Ukraine conflict.

His visit comes just a month after he was in Moscow in early July and held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, with both leaders exchanging warm hugs – a sight that raised the hackles of the West.

India has maintained a balance in its ties with Russia and the US, and has been unwilling to budge to Western pressure over its close and long ties with Moscow.

PM Modi has been in talks with the leaders of both Ukraine and Russia in an attempt to make both sides see reason and call off hostilities.
India has maintained that a resolution to the conflict cannot be found in the battlefield, and that dialogue and diplomacy are the only way forward for resolution of the conflict.
The Prime Minister’s engagements in Kyiv will touch a range of aspects of bilateral ties including political, trade, economic, investments, education, cultural, people-to-people exchanges, humanitarian assistance and others. He will also interact with Indian community, including students during the visit. PM’s landmark visit to Ukraine will help further consolidation and expansion of bilateral ties.

New Delhi, August 19,2024: Following a letter shared by former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh urging West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Governor C.V. Ananda Bose to take immediate and decisive action in the Kolkata RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-death case, Bengal Governor Bose on Sunday stated that he “has called an emergency meeting of a cross-section of Bengal society to apprise them of the action taken in the matter and to gather their opinions on the issue.”
Taking to social media platform X, Bengal Governor Bose said, “HG’s swift action on the letter from Shri Harbhajan Singh expressing his anguish over the tragic incident at R.G. Kar Medical College. HG has called an emergency meeting of a cross-section of Bengal society to apprise them of the action taken in the matter and to take stock of their opinions in this regard.”
He further stated that he would be addressing Singh on the actions taken and expressed his “solidarity with the civil society across India, who have voiced their deep concern over the ghastly incident and the apparent inaction of the government.”
Earlier on Sunday, in a post on X, Singh expressed deep anguish over the delay in justice for the victim and emphasized the need for swift action.
“With deep anguish over the delay in justice for the Kolkata rape and murder victim, an incident that has shaken the conscience of all of us, I have penned a heartfelt plea to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal, Ms. @MamataOfficial Ji, and Hon’ble @BengalGovernor, urging them to act swiftly and decisively,” Singh said.
He stressed that the safety and dignity of women are non-negotiable and that the perpetrators of this heinous crime must face exemplary punishment.
“The safety and dignity of women are non-negotiable. The perpetrators of this heinous crime must face the full weight of the law, and the punishment must be exemplary. Only then can we begin to restore faith in our system and ensure that such a tragedy never occurs again, creating a society where every woman feels safe and protected,” Singh added.
On August 9, a postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, sparking nationwide strikes and protests by the medical community.
On August 14, the protest site and the hospital campus at RG Kar were vandalized by a mob, prompting security personnel to disperse the crowd.
To maintain law and order, Kolkata police have imposed Section 163 of the BNSS around RG Kar Medical College and Hospital for seven days, effective from August 18.

Srinagar, Aug 22,2024: In a significant political development, the National Conference (NC) and Congress have formed a pre-poll alliance for the upcoming Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir.

NC President Farooq Abdullah made the announcement on Thursday, following a meeting with Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi at his residence in Srinagar.

“The pre-poll alliance between the NC and Congress has been sealed for all 90 seats,” Farooq told reporters here. “The alliance is on track and will proceed smoothly with God’s grace,” he said.

As constituents of the Opposition INDIA bloc, NC and Congress previously contested the Lok Sabha polls in Jammu and Kashmir together. While Congress lost both seats in Jammu division, NC won two out of three seats in Kashmir.

When asked about Rahul Gandhi’s earlier statement that all INDI alliance partners would work together in Jammu and Kashmir, the NC president replied, “Congress and NC are united, and CPI(M) is also with us. We hope the people will support us, and we will win the election with a big majority to serve them.”

Farooq highlighted the challenges faced by the people during the past 10 years without an elected government, expressing hope that statehood would be restored with full strength.

He emphasized the importance of statehood, saying, “We promise to restore it. Almighty willing, Jammu and Kashmir will be granted statehood with full powers, and we stand by the INDI alliance to achieve this.”

The assembly election will be held in Jammu and Kashmir in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1.

Aug 17,2024: Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot on Saturday gave sanction to three private complainants to file court cases seeking a probe against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over a 2021 allotment of 14 housing sites in Mysuru to his wife Parvathi B M in exchange for 3.16 acres of land acquired from her by the authorities.

“I hereby accord sanction against Chief Minister Sri Siddaramaiah under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for the commission of the alleged offences as mentioned in the petitions,” Gehlot said in a communique dated August 16 that was released on Saturday.

“It is very necessary that a neutral, objective and non-partisan investigation should be conducted. I am prima facie satisfied that the allegations and the supporting materials to disclose commission of offences,” Gehlot added.

The Karnataka government is expected to challenge the governor’s sanction. “He (the governor) has no authority, he has no jurisdiction, it is totally unconstitutional,” Siddaramaiah said on Saturday, adding that he would “fight it out legally in the court of law”.

The three complainants, anti-corruption activists T J Abraham, Snehamayi Krishna and Pradeep Kumar, had approached the governor last month for sanction to file private court complaints against Siddaramaiah, seeking an investigation into the land allotments made by the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) to Parvathi.
The activists have alleged corruption in the acquisition of 3.16 acres of land in Mysuru’s Kesare village in 2004 by Siddaramaiah’s brother-in-law B M Mallikarjun – he gifted the land to Parvathi in 2010 – and the subsequent exchange of the land in 2021 for 14 housing sites by MUDA under a 50:50 scheme where land equivalent to half the acquired land is allotted in a developed area.

Incidentally, the Siddaramaiah government stopped the 50:50 MUDA scheme in October 2023 after complaints of it being misused cropped up during the BJP tenure in 2020. All land exchanges by MUDA under this scheme were halted pending an inquiry after the allegations of corruption in the land allotment to Parvathi.

In anticipation of the governor granting sanction, the Congress had rallied around Siddaramaiah and the state cabinet passed a resolution on August 1 advising the governor against doing so. The Congress cabinet is now scheduled to hold a special meeting on Saturday evening.

In the MUDA ‘scam’, the Karnataka government has constituted two separate probes by a one-man judicial commission headed by former Karnataka High Court judge P N Desai and a second by an IAS officer Venkatachalapathy.

There are, however, Karnataka High Court orders that have ruled that a governor’s sanction is not required to file a private complaint against a public servant in a Prevention of Corruption case.

The Karnataka governor, while granting sanction for filing complaints in a court against Siddaramaiah, has, however, stated that the ordering of two separate probes by the Congress government into the alleged MUDA scam raises suspicion of wrongdoing.

“Further, the constituting of a committee under an IAS officer and immediately constituting one more committee under a retired judge of the high court and the government’s own acceptance that there is a potential big ticket scam in the allotment of sites by MUDA does not inspire much confidence,” the governor stated in his sanction order.

“It is a well settled legal principle that the person against whom allegations are made, should not be empowered to decide the course of action,” the governor said.

Dhaka, Aug 19,2024: Chief Adviser to the Bangladeshi interim government Muhammad Yunus has said a free, fair and participatory election will be arranged as soon as possible after bringing necessary reforms in the state system.

Yunus said the top priority of the interim government would be to bring the law and order situation under control. “We will be close to normalcy within a short period of time, with the unwavering support of our people and patriotic armed forces. The police force has also resumed their operations,” he said. He said the armed forces will continue to serve in aid of civil power as long as the situation warrants.

“Our government remains pledge-bound to ensure the safety and security of all religious and ethnic groups.” Yunus said the government will undertake robust and far-reaching economic reforms to restore macroeconomic stability and sustain growth, with priority attached to good governance and combating corruption and mismanagement.

“Our government will adhere to all international, regional and bilateral instruments it is a party to. Bangladesh shall continue to remain an active proponent of multilateralism, with the UN at the core.

We look forward to maintaining and enhancing Bangladesh’s contributions to the UN peacekeeping operations,” Yunus said. He said the government will nurture friendly relations with all countries in the spirit of mutual respect and understanding and shared interests. “We call upon our trade and investment partners to maintain their trust in Bangladesh for economic prosperity,” he said.

New Delhi, August 19,2024: Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led centre over the lateral entry of individuals into top government positions saying that it is an attack on Dalits, OBCs and Adivasis.
Taking to social media platform X, Rahul Gandhi wrote, “Lateral entry is an attack on Dalits, OBCs and Adivasis. BJP’s distorted version of Ram Rajya seeks to destroy the Constitution and snatch reservations from Bahujans.”
Another Congress leader Pramod Tiwari condemned it and called it against the reservation policy of the country.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav slammed the centre and called this move a “big conspiracy” against the country.
The SP chief alleged that the lateral entry was a plan to snatch away the reservation and rights from PDA (Pichhde, Dalit, and Alpsankhyak).
“The time has come to launch a nationwide movement against the conspiracy being hatched by the BJP to place its ideological allies in high government positions through the back door in UPSC. This method will close the doors for today’s officers as well as for the youth to reach higher positions in the present and future. Common people will be limited to the positions of clerks and peons. In fact, the whole plan is to snatch away reservations and rights from PDA,” the SP chief posted on X.
The UPSC recently announced a notification for recruiting Joint Secretaries, Directors, and Deputy Secretaries through lateral entry. This decision has ignited criticism from opposition parties, who claim it undermines the reservation rights of OBCs, SCs, and STs.

Tokyo [Japan], August 27,2024: Japan on Monday said that a Chinese military plane had violated its airspace, local media reported that it was the first such move by a Chinese aircraft.
Japan’s defence ministry said an Y-9 surveillance aircraft at 11.29am on Monday “violated the territorial airspace off the Danjo islands in Nagasaki prefecture” in the East China Sea and lasted two minutes. It prompted Japan to deploy “fighter jets on an emergency basis”, Kyodo news outlet reported.
The latest development could fuel tensions between the two countries following repeated maritime provocations by China in the region, the state media said.
The aircraft circled above waters southeast of the islands multiple times before and after entering Japan’s airspace, eventually heading toward China around 1:15 p.m. Japanese ministry of Defence said that the Japanese Air Self-Defence Force (ASDF) fighters did not use weapons or signal flares.
Japan’s Vice foreign minister Masataka Okano summoned China’s acting ambassador late on Monday to lodge a “extremely serious protest,” and called for measures against a recurrence, the Japanese foreign ministry said in a statement.
As per the NHK, the Japanese public broadcaster, there were previous incursions by non-military aircraft involving a propeller-powered Chinese marine surveillance plane and a small drone that had taken off from a China Coast Guard vessel and went into airspace near the disputed Senkaku islands in 2012 and 2017.
Kyodo news agency cited a Japanese defence Ministry source as saying that China “might be trying to provoke a reaction from Japan,” while a government source said the airplane merely grazed the territorial airspace and possibly strayed off course.
China’s increasing aggressive actions in the region, especially with Taiwan, has been a growing cause of concern for US and its allies.
Japan is part of the Quad alliance with India, Australia and the US, which is seen as a counter to Beijing’s assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Senkaku islands in the East China Sea administered by Japan has been claimed by China and there has been confrontations between Japanese and Chinese vessels. The group of disputed islands, Uotsuri island , Minamikojima and Kitakojima are known as the Diaoyu in china.
Meanwhile, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is set to meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing today.

Aug 19,2024: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, pushing for a Gaza ceasefire on his visit to Israel, has described ongoing negotiations as “maybe the last” chance to secure the captives’ release and secure a ceasefire.

Speaking in Tel Aviv on Monday, before meeting Israeli President Isaac Herzog, the top US diplomat said he was also working to de-escalate other regional tensions fuelled by the war in Gaza.

Blinken is scaling up US diplomatic pressure to try and reach a deal to end the 10-month conflict after the United States put forward proposals last week in a bid to close the gaps between the warring parties.

“This is a decisive moment – probably the best, maybe the last, opportunity to get the hostages home, to get a ceasefire and to put everyone on a better path to enduring peace and security,” Blinken said on his ninth trip to the region since Israel’s war on Gaza began in October.

“I’m here as part of an intensive diplomatic effort on President Biden’s instructions to try to get this agreement to the line and ultimately over the line … It is time for everyone to get to yes and to not look for any excuses to say no,” Blinken added.

“It is time for it to get done. It’s also time to make sure that no one takes any steps that could derail this process,” he went on to say.

The US and other Western leaders have called on Iran and its allies to refrain from anticipated attacks on Israel in retaliation for the recent killings of senior members of Hamas and Hezbollah.
Worldwide concern that Israel’s war will escalate into an all-out regional conflict multiplied after the assassinations last month of Hamas’s political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Fuad Shukr, a top commander of the Lebanese group Hezbollah, in Beirut.

“We’re working to make sure that there is no escalation, that there are no provocations, that there are no actions that in any way could move us away from getting this deal over the line, or, for that matter, escalating the conflict to other places, and to greater intensity,” Blinken said.

The diplomat is later scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Herzog, who holds a largely ceremonial role, said Israelis wanted to see the return “as soon as possible” of captives held in Gaza since Hamas snatched them during its October 7 attack. Israel’s war began after Hamas’s surprise attack.

“There is no greater humanitarian objective, and there’s no greater humanitarian cause, than bringing back our hostages,” Herzog told Blinken.

The US, Egypt and Qatar have been acting as mediators in a number of indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

The last round of talks ended on Friday in Qatar, with no resolution. It is expected to resume again in Cairo, Egypt this week.

Hamas has been insisting that the ceasefire end the war permanently while Israel has said any deal should not limit it from continuing the war despite repeated US statements for the deal to end the conflict.

Meanwhile, in Gaza, Israel’s deadly attacks continue, with the death toll from Israel’s bombardment now more than 40,000, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Sriharikota, (Andhra Pradesh), Aug 16,2024: In yet another successful mission, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched the latest Earth Observation Satellite EOS-8 and a passenger satellite using the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) from the Spaceport of Sriharikota on Friday morning.
After a short and smooth 6.5 hr countdown that began at 0247 hrs, SSLV-D3, the third and final developmental flight carrying the 175.5 kg EOS-08 and SR-0 DEMOSAT took off majestically from the First Launch Pad as scheduled at 0917 hrs from the SHAR Range.

Chennai, Aug 16,2024: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) President M K Stalin on Friday thanked the Centre for issuing a coin to commemorate five time CM and DMK Patriarch M Karunanidhi’s birth anniversary.

In a statement here, he said “as the son of Mr Karunanidhi (popularly called as Kalaignar) and as one of you, I express my gratitude to the Union Government of India for issuing a coin bearing his image as another diamond in the crown of fame of our living artist, a beacon of future generations.”

The Rs 100 coin will be released by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at an event to be held in the city on Sunday.

Mr Stalin said it will be a happy and proud moment for all and a tribute to the great artist who is part of our lives.

He said the centenary of the late leader was being celebrated in every district on behalf of the Tamil Nadu government for the architect who built modern Tamil Nadu as the Chief Minister for five times.

He also pointed out building of Multi-speciality hospital, Centenary library in Madurai, Kilambakkam bus terminus near Chennai, named after Mr Karunanidhi to mark his centenary.

Mr Stalin pointed out that on behalf of the Union Government, an event will be held on Sunday evening at Kalaivanar Arangam in the city to honor the legendary leader, who continued to be the voice of state autonomy to strengthen India’s federal ideology, who has been a guide to various political leaders in strengthening Indian democracy, and who has played an important role in electing many presidents and prime ministers.

He also said the only time a condolence resolution was passed in Parliament for the death of a political leader was for Mr Karunanidhi who was not a member of either House of Parliament.

“Kalaignar, in his 95-year long career and 81 years of public life, has made an impact at the National level in terms of political-administrative-art-literature-film industry-journalism”, he added.

New Delhi, August 17,2024: After the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Monkeypox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), a detailed review of the Monkeypox situation and the preparedness was taken by the Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, J P Nadda in a meeting with the senior officials of the Ministry on Saturday.
There are no reported cases of Monkeypox in India as of date.
In the meeting chaired by the Union Health Minister, it was decided that as a matter of abundant caution, certain measures such as sensitizing the health units at all the airports, seaports, and ground crossings; readying the testing Laboratories; gearing up health facilities for detecting, isolating and managing any case, etc. are to be taken.
In the meeting, it was noted that Monkeypox infections are usually self-limiting lasting between 2-4 weeks and patients generally recover with supportive management. The transmission requires prolonged close contact with an infected case and is generally through the sexual route, direct contact with body/lesion fluid, or contaminated clothing/linen of an infected person.
WHO had earlier declared Monkeypox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in July 2022 and subsequently revoked the same in May 2023. Globally since 2022, WHO has reported 99,176 cases and 208 deaths due to Monkeypox from 116 countries. Since the 2022 declaration by WHO, a total of 30 cases were detected in India with the last case in March 2024.
A Joint Monitoring Group Meeting under the Chairmanship of the Director General of Health Services consisting of experts from relevant fields was held on August 16 to review the situation.
The meeting was attended by experts from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), World Health Organization (WHO), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), National Centre for Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), Directorate General of Health Services (Dte.GHS), Central Government Hospitals, All India Institute of Medical Sciences AIIMS etc.
Although the possibility of a few imported cases being detected in the coming weeks is not entirely ruled out, it was assessed that the risk of a large outbreak with sustained transmission is presently low for India.
The situation is being monitored closely by the Ministry.

Colombo, Aug 22,2024: The Sri Lankan Cabinet has decided to allow tourists from 35 countries, including India, visa free access into the island nation from October 1, 2024, a top official said.

‘Sri Lanka will open visa-free entry for tourists from 35 countries, including India, China and Russia, from October 1, 2024,’ Adviser to the Ministry of Tourism Harin Fernando said.

The countries to be extended the facility comprise most European Union members including Germany, and the Netherlands, besides Australia, Japan. Nepal, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Iran, several Middle Eastern countries, including the UAE and Israel, and South Korea.

The decision is part of Colombo’s efforts to ramp up the foreign tourist footfall as the country rebounds from an acute currency crisis.

It may be mentioned that in October last year, the Sri Lankan government had announced its intention not to charge visa fees for tourists from China, Russia, India, Thailand and Indonesia.

Fernando had then said the government aimed to get more tourists from these five countries to reach the goal of attracting five million tourists annually in the near future.

New Delhi, Aug 20,2024: The Supreme Court on Tuesday came down heavily on the conduct of West Bengal Government and the now-removed principal of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital over the lapses in handling the case of the rape and murder of a doctor in the institution on August 9. The court also ordered the constitution of a 10-member National Task Force to suggest steps for safety of doctors within two months.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra had on Sunday taken suo moto cognizance of the rape and murder of the doctor.

Taking up the matter on its own initiative, the Court questioned the West Bengal Government and the police over the handling of the case.

CJI also told the state to not take coercive actions against people who were participating in peaceful protests and speaking up in the media and social media.

“Let not the power of the State of West Bengal be unleashed upon peaceful protesters. Let us deal with them with great sensitivity. This is a moment for national catharsis,” CJI said.

The Court appealed to the doctors, who are protesting all over the country against the incident, to return to their duties.

The Court said that since it has taken up the issues relating to the doctors’ safety, the protesting medical professionals should refrain from abstention from duties.

The CJI expressed deep concerns over the fact that the name of the victim, photographs and video clips showing the dead body have been spread all over the media.

The Court also questioned the State over the conduct of the Principal, the delay in the registration of the FIR and the vandalism which took place at the hospital during a public protest on August 14.

“After the crime was detected in the early hours of the morning, the Principal of the hospital tries to pass this off as a suicide. The parents are not allowed to see the body for a few hours…” CJI said.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the State of West Bengal, refuted the charges and said that this was incorrect information, we will place on record all facts, he said.

CJI questioned why the Principal was given the charge of another hospital after he resigned from RG Kar Hospital.

Sibal said that an “Unnatural Death” case was registered immediately and claimed that there was no delay in the registration of the FIR.

The bench questioned the timing of the FIR. The autopsy was conducted between 1 pm and 4.45 pm of the day.

The body was handed over to the parents at about 8.30 pm for cremation. However, the FIR was registered only at 11.45 pm, doesn’t autopsy reveal the victim was raped and murdered?” CJI asked.

“What was the principal doing? Why first it was attempted to pass off as suicide?” CJI asked.

CJI also questioned the State over the acts of vandalism which took place at the hospital on August 14 during a “reclaim the night” protest campaign.

“Hospital is invaded by the mob! Critical facilities were damaged. What was the police doing? The first thing the police have to do is to secure the crime scene,” CJI said.

Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta said that a mob gathering of 7,000 people won’t assemble without the knowledge and the connivance of the police.

The SG said that the root of the issue is that the West Bengal police is functioning under a DIG-in charge who himself is facing various allegations.

Sibal said that a lot of misinformation is spreading in the media regarding the case and the State was only taking action against them.

The Court asked the CBI to file a status report on the investigation by Thursday, August 22 in a sealed cover.

The Court also directed the State of West Bengal to submit a status report on the investigation into the acts of vandalism.

The Federation of Association of Medical Consultants of India (FAMCI), Delhi Medical Association etc. have filed an intervention plea in the present case raising the safety concerns for medical workers in hospitals across the country in the absence of any centralized laws.

The bench said that it is deeply concerned about the virtual absence of conditions of safety for young doctors in public hospitals, especially women doctors who are more vulnerable because of the nature of work and gender.

“Therefore, we must evolve a national consensus. There must be a national protocol to create safe conditions of work. If women cannot go to a place of work and feel safe, we are denying them equal opportunity. We have to do something right now to ensure that the conditions of safety are enforced,” CJI said.

CJI directed that a “National Task Force” comprising doctors all over the country be created to give recommendations on the modalities to be followed all over the country to ensure the safety of women.

The bench noted that several states such as Maharashtra, Kerala, and Telangana etc. have framed state laws to deal with violence against doctors.

However, these laws do not address deficiencies in institutional safety standards.

The bench observed, “As more and more women join the work force the nation cannot wait for another rape for things to change on the ground.”

The bench recorded many issues such including: Medical professionals doing night duty are not given adequate rooms to rest. There are no separate duty rooms for women and men; Interns, residents, and senior residents are made to do 36-hours duty where basic conditions of hygiene and sanitation are often absent; Lack of security personnel at hospitals is more of a norm than an exception; Medical care professionals do not have adequate toilet facilities; Places of stay for medical professionals are situated far from the hospitals and transportation facilities are not adequate; Absence or lack of properly functioning CCTV cameras to monitor the hospitals; Patients and attendees have unrestricted access to all places; Lack of screening for arms and weapons at the entrance and Ding and ill-lit places within the hospital.

The bench ordered the constitution of a ten-member National Task Force. The force will be headed by Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin AVSM, VSM. Director General Medical Services (Navy).

The NTF shall make recommendations pertaining to the safety, working conditions and well-being of the medical professionals. NTF has to furnish an interim report in three weeks and a final report within 2 months.

The body of the post-graduate trainee doctor was found in the R G Kar Hospital’s seminar room on August 9. The Kolkata Police arrested a civic volunteer the next day in this connection.

On August 13, the Calcutta High Court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take over the investigation, after expressing lack of satisfaction with the Kolkata Police.

The High Court passed the order acting on petitions filed by one of the parents of the victim and certain other individuals.