The Sealdah court will pronounce its verdict in the RG Kar rape and murder case at 2.30pm on Saturday, court sources said.

If Sanjay Roy, the lone accused, is found guilty, the quantum of punishment
is likely to be declared on Monday.

More than 100 police personnel will guard the Sealdah court compound on Saturday, officers said.

Elaborate police arrangements have been made fearing a large turnout on the court premises to hear the outcome of the case that triggered spontaneous public gatherings, silent protests and candlelight vigils across the state — all demanding justice for the victim.

The verdict will be pronounced in the presence of Roy, 28, the court sources said.

He will be taken to the Sealdah court amid tight security and stay inside the courtroom when the judge pronounces the verdict.

Although the verdict will be announced in the second half, police officers said they were expecting people curious to know about the outcome to flock to the court much before the scheduled time.

“There will be adequate arrangements to handle the crowd,” said a joint commissioner of police.

The divisional deputy commissioner and another deputy commissioner will be in charge of security in the court compound on Saturday. Some other senior officers will be kept on standby in nearby areas.

Roy, who was working as a civic volunteer with Kolkata Police when the doctor was raped and murdered, was arrested on August 10 and has been in custody since.

His arrest was followed by unrest in the city with the protesters demanding that the others allegedly involved in the crime be rounded up, too.

Many said Roy could not have committed the crime alone and believed the “other accused” were being shielded.

The CBI had arrested Sandip Ghosh, during whose tenure as the principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital the young doctor was raped and murdered, and the then officer in charge of Tala police station, Abhijit Mandal.

Both were granted bail as the agency could not file any chargesheet against them within 90 days of their arrest.

“Whatever the verdict, there could be protests,” said an officer.

The slain doctor’s parents on Friday expressed disappointment over the CBI probe and said the central agency did not consult them before filing the chargesheet.

They are also upset that the CBI has not filed any supplementary chargesheet against Ghosh and Mandal despite arresting them on charges of “destruction of evidence” and being involved in a “larger conspiracy”.

The West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front, which led the movement demanding justice for the rape-and-murder victim, has called for a gathering outside the Sealdah court on Saturday afternoon.

Roy’s conduct

Rape-and-murder accused Roy, who is lodged at Presidency Correctional Home, did not show any signs of “nervousness” the day before the verdict is to be announced, sources in the jail said.

He had puffed rice and jaggery for breakfast and rice, pulses and pumpkin for lunch on Friday. A source said Roy was seen “smiling” and talking to sentries outside cell No. 6, where he has been lodged since his remand in judicial custody.