NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday raised concerns over the recruitment of unverified civic volunteers working with the West Bengal Police, expressing apprehension about potential political patronage.
The issue arose during the hearing of a suo motu case on the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9, a crime that triggered nationwide protests.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud directed the West Bengal Government to disclose details of the recruitment process for these civic volunteers. “This is a nice way to confer political patronage on selected individuals who are totally unverified,” observed the Bench. It also emphasised the need to understand who recruits these volunteers and what qualifications they possess, particularly in sensitive establishments such as hospitals and schools.
It directed the CBI to file a fresh status report within three weeks to update the court on the progress of the probe in the case. The court instructed the government to file an affidavit providing details on several aspects of the recruitment process. This includes the legal authority for the recruitment of civic volunteers, the prescribed qualifications, verification procedures, the institutions where they are assigned duties, and their daily or monthly payments. Additionally, the court sought details on the budget outlay for these volunteers and the steps taken to ensure they do not operate in vulnerable establishments like hospitals and schools.
Representing the West Bengal Government, senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi informed the court that security staff at hospitals were recruited as per the norms prescribed under the relevant Act, but the court remained unsatisfied.