The Calcutta High Court sought clarification from the West Bengal government over the controversial retaliatory transfers of Dr. Debasish Haldar, Dr. Aniket Mahato and Dr. Asfaqullah Naiya from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. These doctors were prominent figures in the protests following the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the hospital. They challenged their transfers by alleging that they were punitive and not merit counselling system.
The Justice Biswajit Basu chaired bench questioned the basis of their postings and demanded to know how the sorting is done. He inquired whether the postings are done on the basis of rank or on other metrics. The court then directed the state government to submit a written explanation justifying the transfers that moved the doctors to district hospitals despite vacancies at the hospital itself. Advocate General Kishore Dutta, however pointed out that such matters fall under the jurisdiction of the state administrative tribunal and not the High Court.
The court has yet to decide whether the case will remain under its purview or be redirected.
The transfers were described as routine by the state but drew outrage among medical professionals, who call them a ‘witch hunt’, targeting doctors vocal in demanding justice for the RG Kar victim. The parents of the victim also support the trio and blame the government for retaliatory action for their activism.
