Court says 'not rarest of rare cases', Sanjay Roy gets life imprisonment for RG Kar Hospital rape-murder

RG Kar Hospital rape-murder convict Sanjay Roy gets life sentence
RG Kar Hospital rape-murder convict Sanjay Roy gets life sentence
RG Kar Hospital rape-murder convict Sanjay Roy gets life sentence
Updated on
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A Kolkata court sentenced Sanjoy Roy to life imprisonment on Monday for the rape and murder of an on-duty doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The Additional District and Sessions Judge Anirban Das, in Sealdah, had found Roy guilty on Saturday for the crime committed on August 9 last year, which led to widespread and prolonged protests across the country.

Judge Das said the crime did not fall under the "rarest of the rare" category as justification for not giving death penalty to the convict. The court imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the accused.

During the hearing of the case, the Central Bureau of Investigation sought "capital punishment" for the accused Sanjay Roy.

Explaining the penalties of the section, the court said to the accused Sanjay Roy, "I told you the previous day the charges you were convicted against and the charges that have been proven against you."

When asked about his charges, accused Sanjay Roy claimed that he has not done anything and is being "falsely implicated."

"I have not done anything, neither rape nor murder. I am being falsely implicated. You have seen everything. I am innocent. I already told you that I was tortured. They made me sign whatever they wanted, accused Sanjay Roy said.

The lawyer of the accused argued that even if the case is "rarest of rare," there should be scope for reformation. He said, "Even if it is a rarest of rare cases, there should be scope for reformation. The court has to show why the convict is not worth reformation or rehabilitation... The public prosecutor has to present evidence and give reasons why the person is not worth reformation and should be completely eliminated from society..."

However, the victim's family lawyer said, "I want the death sentence as maximum punishment..."

The father of the victim had demanded harshest punishment to the accused. He said their fight will continue on the streets and in the courts.

"On Saturday, the judge said that the harshest punishment would be given (to the accused). We have full faith in the judge. Our fight will continue in the courts and streets," the father of the deceased doctor told news agency ANI.

The Court has also directed the state of West Bengal to pay a compensation of Rs 7 lakh to RG Kar the doctor's family, following Sanjay Roy's life sentence.

"Since the victim died while on duty in the hospital, her place of work, it is the responsibility of the state to pay compensation to the family of the doctor, Rs 10 lakh for the death and Rs 7 lakh for the rape," Das said.

The victim's parents said they were not at all satisfied with the verdict of the court pronouncing life-term imprisonment until death as well as the financial assistance and would move to a higher court seeking justice.

They claimed that the investigation was done "half-heartedly and several other culprits involved in the crime were shielded".

"We are shocked. How can this not be the rarest of the rare cases? An on-duty doctor was raped and murdered while being on duty. We are dismayed. There was a larger conspiracy behind this crime," the mother said.

The father of the deceased doctor said they did not want any compensation, adding that they would continue their fight until all the other culprits were brought to book.

Roy's mother kept herself confined to her home and refused to meet reporters to comment on the verdict.

"I don't wish to say anything. I am ashamed of everything. You please go away," she said before bolting the main door from inside. One of the convict's elder sisters, however, said, "there are reports in the media that Sanjay was not alone at the site of the crime.

If others were directly or indirectly involved then that should also be investigated and the culprits should be brought to book.

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Roy was sentenced under Sections 64, 66, and 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Section 64 (rape) mandates a punishment of at least 10 years, up to life imprisonment. Section 66, dealing with causing death or a persistent vegetative state, prescribes a sentence of at least 20 years, extending to life imprisonment or death. Section 103(1) (murder) allows for the death penalty or life imprisonment for the convicted individual.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the court's verdict, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserted that had the case been handled by the Kolkata Police, the death penalty would have been ensured.

"All of us have demanded the death sentence, but the court has given a life term until death. The case was forcibly taken from us. Had it been with the (Kolkata) police, we would have ensured that he was served a death sentence," she told reporters.

RG Kar Hospital rape-murder convict Sanjay Roy gets life sentence
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BJP's IT department head Amit Malviya, who is also his party's organisational co-incharge for West Bengal, called for appealing against the judgement and for probe agencies to investigate the role of the then Kolkata commissioner and the chief minister for allegedly destroying the evidence.

He said on X, "Life imprisonment and a 50,000-rupee fine for Sanjoy Roy, accused in the RG Kar rape and murder case, is a travesty of justice. The verdict must be appealed."

The junior doctors, who were at the forefront of the protests following the crime, have called for further investigation into the larger conspiracy allegations raised by the victim's parents.

The crime sparked nationwide protests, particularly from junior doctors in Kolkata, who demanded justice for the victim and stronger security measures in state-run hospitals.

Initially investigated by Kolkata Police, Roy was arrested on August 10, a day after the medic's body was found in a seminar room of the hospital.

The Calcutta High Court later transferred the case to the CBI, which had sought the death penalty for Roy.

(With inputs from agencies)

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