A Kolkata court on Monday sentenced Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment after he was convicted of the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on Roy. In addition, the Sealdah court directed the West Bengal government to provide a compensation of Rs 17 lakh to the victim’s family.
Before the sentencing, Roy, a former civic volunteer with the Kolkata Police, pleaded his innocence. “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 told the court.
Roy’s lawyer argued against capital punishment, emphasising the need for the prosecution to prove why Roy should not be reformed. “Even if it is a rarest of rare case, 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,” the lawyer stated.
However, the victim’s parents expressed their desire for a death sentence for Roy. “The (trial court) judge delivered the verdict they deemed right. But we will continue our fight until we uncover who else is involved in this incident. We will go wherever and as far as needed for that,” the victim’s mother told a section of the media.
Roy was found guilty of the crime by additional district and sessions judge Anirban Das on Saturday. The murder, which took place on August 9 last year, sparked nationwide outrage and protests. Roy was arrested the day after the doctor’s body was discovered in a hospital seminar room.
The court convicted Roy under sections 64, 66, and 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which carry sentences ranging from life imprisonment to the death penalty. The prosecution, led by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), presented forensic evidence, including DNA, toxicology reports, and CCTV footage, which linked Roy to the crime.
Despite his claims of being framed, Roy’s involvement was established through biological evidence, physical injuries to the victim, and traces of his personal belongings at the crime scene.
The CBI’s investigation, which included testimony from over 120 witnesses, concluded that the victim had died from strangulation and smothering. The case, which the CBI described as “rarest of the rare,” has garnered widespread attention.
Also Read: “Rarest of Rare Cases”: Prosecution Seeks Death Penalty for RG Kar Convict