Lower your pitch: CJI reprimands lawyer during RG Kar hospital case hearing; Video goes viral

New Delhi: In a dramatic turn of events, Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud reprimanded lawyer and BJP leader Koustav Bagchi during the hearing of Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital case on Monday, September 9. The CJI expressed his displeasure over Bagchi's raised voice during the proceedings, warning him to maintain decorum in the courtroom.

"Are you addressing the gallery outside the court? I have been observing your demeanor for the last two hours. Can you lower your pitch? You are speaking to the judges, not the audience watching the proceedings," said CJI Chandrachud, firmly advising the lawyer to maintain a professional tone during his arguments.

Watch the video here:

CJI to Koustav Bagchi: Are you trying to address the gallery outside the court? I have been observing your demeanour for the last two hours. First lower your speech. Listen to the Chief Justice. Don't raise your voice. Lower your speech. You are addressing three judges not the… pic.twitter.com/VGnmSuQdFU

— Sandipan Mitra (@SMitra_) September 9, 2024

Kapil Sibal supports CJI’s remarks

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the West Bengal government, agreed with the CJI’s observation, stating that Bagchi appeared to be addressing those outside the courtroom rather than focusing on the judges.

The incident, which unfolded during the hearing of a sensitive case involving the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College, quickly gained attention as a video of the exchange surfaced online, further intensifying public scrutiny of the case.

SC concerned over missing postmortem document

The Supreme Court also expressed serious concern over the absence of a crucial document necessary for the postmortem of the murdered doctor. The court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to launch a probe into the missing document and ensure that all necessary evidence is retrieved for a thorough investigation.

Orders for doctors to resume work

Additionally, the apex court directed the protesting resident doctors in West Bengal to return to work by 5 PM on Tuesday, with an assurance that no adverse action would be taken against them for participating in the protest. This directive followed the widespread outrage triggered by the delay in registering an FIR regarding the doctor’s murder, which was filed over 14 hours after the incident.

The CBI is expected to submit a fresh report on the progress of the investigation by September 17.