The Supreme Court, while hearing the case of rape and murder of the 31-year-old trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar hospital, once again asked all the protesting doctors to return to the work, noting that the patients are facing problems. The apex court assured doctors' associations that the National Task Force will hear all stakeholders.

A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud was told by the counsel for resident doctors at AIIMS Nagpur that they are being victimised for protests over the Kolkata rape-murder case.

"Once they get back to duty, we will prevail upon authorities to not take adverse action. How will public health infrastructure run if the doctors do not work," the bench, also comprising Justice J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said, according to PTI.

"Let them all return to work...we will pass some general order, please rest assured that once doctors resume duties we will prevail upon authorities to not take adverse actions, how will public administrative structure run if they don't resume work," said CJI DY Chandrachud, according to LiveLaw.

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On the demands by the doctor's association to have a representation from resident doctors, and professors of government medical colleges, the court said, "If we ask representatives to be part of the NTF, it becomes impossible to work. There are very senior women doctor in the NTF, they have worked for a very long time in health care."

"Most shocking fact is that FIR was registered at 11.45 pm after cremation of deceased," Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told Court.

The CBI, on Thursday, submitted its status report to the Supreme Court on the progress of the investigation into the rape and murder.

The court termed delay by Kolkata Police in registering unnatural death in its records as 'extremely disturbing'.

"It is very surprising that postmortem of deceased was conducted before registration of case as unnatural death," the court noted.

The CBI told the court that following the death of the victim, the friends of the victim suspected cover up and insisted on videography.

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The Supreme Court also directed the Kolkata Police officer, who registered first entry about rape-murder incident, to appear on the next hearing to disclose time. 

The Supreme Court also questioned sequence, and timing of legal formalities conducted by police in registration of unnatural death, postmortem.