The Sealdah Civil and Criminal Court sentenced Sanjay Roy, the accused, to life imprisonment until death. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the convict. Additionally, the state government has been directed to pay compensation of Rs 17 lakhs to the victim’s family.
Kolkata: January 20: Amid controversy over the death penalty in the RG Kar medical rape-murder case, Advocate Rehman said on Monday that the judge decided against awarding capital punishment, stating the case did not fall under the “rarest of rare” category.
ALSO READ: BREAKING | RG Kar Rape: Court Sentenced Sanjoy Roy To LIFE IMPRISONMENT
The Sealdah Civil and Criminal Court sentenced Sanjay Roy, the accused, to life imprisonment until death. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the convict. Additionally, the state government has been directed to pay compensation of Rs 17 lakhs to the victim’s family.
Advocate Rehman stated:
“Additional Judge of Sessions court, Sealdah, has sentenced life imprisonment till death to Sanjay Roy. The court directed the state government to give compensation of Rs 17 lakhs to the victim’s family. CBI had demanded capital punishment for the convict in the case. The judge said that this not a rarest of the rare cases, hence capital punishment has not been awarded.”
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had pressed for the death penalty, but the court did not accept this recommendation.
Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar expressed dissatisfaction with the judgment and called for a deeper probe into the matter.
He refrained from directly criticizing the court’s decision, saying:
“We wanted the highest punishment (for the convict Sanjay Roy). Being an elected representative, I can’t say anything against the court verdict. The public of West Bengal does not believe that only one person is involved in the RG Kar rape-murder case. I think there should be more depth in this, as Sanjay is saying that there were also police and other people involved.”
Similarly, BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya suggested that others might also be involved in the crime. He remarked:
“The judgment is the manifestation of the mood of the people of the country and of West Bengal. Even now, the entire people believe that Sanjay Roy was not the only one involved in this case; those who sent Sanjay Roy there, those who altered the place of occurrence. What about the punishment to such people?”
Today’s Verdict:
The verdict was delivered by additional district and sessions judge Anirban Das. It was further held that the state government would have to pay the victim’s family a compensation of Rs 17 lakhs due to the fate suffered by her.
Earlier, the court had convicted Roy following an in-camera trial that spanned 57 days. The sentencing decision was reserved for Monday.
Despite the CBI, which conducted the investigation, seeking the death penalty for Roy, the court opted against imposing capital punishment.
Sanjay Roy, a 33-year-old former civic volunteer with the Kolkata Police, was convicted for the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
What is the RG Kar rape-murder case?
On August 9 last year, a 31-year-old junior doctor was raped and murdered at the state-run RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata. Her body was discovered in the hospital’s seminar room. The incident sparked nationwide outrage and led to prolonged protests by junior doctors in West Bengal, demanding justice and improved security at government hospitals.
The trial began on November 11, three months after the incident, in a Kolkata court. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which took over the case from the Kolkata Police following a directive from the Calcutta High Court, has sought the “maximum punishment” for Roy. The trial concluded on January 9.
Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer with Kolkata Police, was convicted on Saturday for the rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The crime, which occurred on August 9, triggered nationwide outrage over women’s safety. The verdict, delivered by Anirban Das, Additional District and Sessions Judge of the Sealdah court, came 57 days after the in-camera trial commenced on November 12.
FOLLOW US FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES ON YOUTUBE
