Monday, 20 January 2025
Monday, 20 January 2025
A little after 2:45 pm on Monday, Judge Anirban Das of the CBI special court in Sealdah sentenced Sanjay Roy, a former Kolkata Police civic volunteer, to life imprisonment for the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
Judge Anirban Das of the Additional District and Sessions Court also directed the Bengal government to pay Rs 17 lakh as compensation to the parents of the victim
In justifying his decision not to award the death penalty, Judge Das stated that the crime did not meet the “rarest of the rare” standard required for capital punishment.
The parents of the deceased medic in the RG Kar hospital rape-murder case said that they were not satisfied with the verdict of the court pronouncing life imprisonment till death for the convict.
"We are shocked. How is this not the rarest of rare cases? An on-duty doctor was raped and murdered. We are dismayed. There was a larger conspiracy behind this crime," the mother told PTI.
The father said they would continue their fight until all the other culprits were brought to the book and punished.
The verdict has sparked outrage across the political spectrum and drew sharp reactions from leaders across parties.
Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said she was not satisfied.
“I am not satisfied. All of us demanded the death sentence, but the court gave life imprisonment,” Banerjee said.
"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 claimed.
"We don’t know how the probe was conducted. In many similar cases that were probed by the state police, death penalty was ensured. I am not satisfied," she said.
Sukanta Majumder
Union minister Sukanta Majumdar expressed scepticism over the investigation. “We wanted the highest punishment for the convict Sanjay Roy.
The public of West Bengal does not believe that only one person is involved in the RG Kar rape-murder case,” he said, calling for a deeper probe into the alleged involvement of others.
Rekha Sharma
Former NCW chief and Rajya Sabha MP Rekha Sharma criticised both the investigation and the judiciary’s decision.
“It is very unfortunate. The shortcomings in the investigation presented by Kolkata Police to the CBI led to life imprisonment instead of the death penalty.
The insensitivity of the judges in not calling this a rarest-of-the-rare case is disheartening,” she remarked.
Samik Bhattacharya
BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya described the verdict as a reflection of public frustration. “The judgement is the manifestation of the mood of the people of West Bengal.
Everyone believes Sanjay Roy was not the only one involved. What about those who sent him there or tampered with the crime scene? Where is their punishment?” he questioned.
Brinda Karat
CPIM leader Brinda Karat drew parallels to other cases and condemned the systemic failures.
“Kerala’s court gave the death sentence to a woman who poisoned her boyfriend, but here we see such leniency. This highlights the failure of our justice system in cases involving violence against women. Evidence was destroyed, and there is a clear nexus protecting the guilty. The state government must be held accountable for concealing facts,” she stated.
Salman Khurshid
Former law minister Salman Khurshid highlighted the importance of judicial processes but acknowledged the anguish caused by the verdict.
“What happened is saddening and disgusting. There is a process where the accused is given a chance to defend themselves, but delays and inconsistencies in justice cause concern,” he said, urging for reforms to ensure swifter and stricter action in such heinous crimes.
Amit Malviya
BJP’s IT department head and West Bengal organisational co-incharge Amit Malviya called for an appeal against the judgement and a deeper investigation into alleged political interference.
He wrote 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.”
Malviya also alleged evidence tampering, stating, “West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee must stop shielding the criminal. Agencies also need to investigate the role of the then Kolkata Commissioner and the Chief Minister in the destruction of evidence. Justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done.”
