A West Bengal court on Monday sentenced Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on Roy.
The case, which drew widespread public attention, saw the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) pushing for the death penalty. However, the Sealdah court ruled that the crime did not meet the threshold of the “rarest of the rare” and handed down a life sentence instead.
During the proceedings, the court addressed the accused, explaining the charges for which he had been convicted. Despite the charges, Roy maintained his innocence, claiming he had been “falsely implicated” in the crime. “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,”.
Roy’s defense lawyer argued that even in the rarest of rare cases, there should be room for reformation and rehabilitation, asserting that the prosecution must prove that the accused was beyond reformation. The lawyer called for consideration of reformative measures instead of a more extreme punishment.
On the other hand, the victim’s family’s lawyer demanded the maximum punishment for the accused, calling for the death sentence. The victim’s father, who had consistently fought for justice, expressed his belief that the harshest punishment should be given to the convict. “Our fight will continue on the streets and in the courts,” he said, reiterating his demand for justice.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also spoke out on the case, stating that her government had cooperated with the investigation and always sought justice for the victim. “We have cooperated with the investigation… we had demanded justice, but the judiciary had to run its course, so that’s why it took this much time,” she said before the court hearing on Monday.
The case revolves around the tragic rape and murder of a trainee doctor, whose body was discovered on August 9 in the seminar room of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Roy, a civic volunteer at the hospital, was arrested following the incident. His conviction has sparked widespread protests and calls for justice.
The Sealdah court had previously convicted Roy on Saturday, stating that he had assaulted and murdered the young doctor who had been resting in the seminar room. The court framed sections 64, 66, and 103/1 of the BNS Act against the accused.
(With ANI inputs)
