On Thursday, several members of the Executive Committee (EC) of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) addressed a letter to Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, President of the SCBA, expressing their surprise at a resolution dated August 21.

This resolution, issued on the SCBA's letterhead and signed on behalf of the entire committee, had not been deliberated upon by the EC members.

The resolution, issued by the SCBA President on Wednesday, expressed appreciation for the concerns raised by the Chief Justice of India's bench regarding the recent rape and murder of a female doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. It endorsed the Supreme Court's steps to establish a policy framework and protocols to prevent such brutal incidents in the future.

In their letter to Sibal, the EC members denied being informed of any discussions leading to this resolution and mentioned that other members were equally surprised by it. They claimed that the resolution appeared to reflect a personal view rather than the collective stance of the committee.

The letter further emphasized that any resolution should have been passed unanimously, with the full confidence of all committee members. "We, the undersigned, wish to place on record that we are not a party to a resolution passed unilaterally on behalf of the entire Executive," the letter stated.

Despite this, the members strongly condemned the horrific rape and murder at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata and expressed solidarity with the demand for justice.

The letter also reaffirmed the SCBA's commitment to standing with individuals whose fundamental rights have been violated.

Notably, Senior Advocate Sibal is currently representing the West Bengal government in a suo moto case before the Supreme Court concerning the rape and murder of the postgraduate female doctor. During a recent hearing, the Supreme Court criticized the Kolkata police's handling of the case and expressed concern over the delay in registering a First Information Report (FIR). The court also directed the formation of a National Task Force (NTF) to address systemic issues related to the safety of medical professionals.

The incident, which occurred on August 9, saw the doctor found dead in a seminar hall after a 36-hour duty shift. Initially reported as a suicide, it was later alleged that there was a significant delay in filing the FIR. Protests erupted following the incident, and on August 14, a large mob vandalized parts of RG Kar Medical College Hospital.