RG Kar rape-murder case: Sanjay Roy sentenced to life imprisonment till death by Kolkata court
When asked about his charges, Sanjay Roy claimed that he had not done anything and was being "falsely implicated"
Sanjay Roy, convicted of raping and murdering an on-duty trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, has been sentenced to life term till death by a Sealdah court on Monday, January 20. Along with this, the court has also fined ₹50,000 to the accused.
Judge Anirban Das of the additional district and sessions court, Sealdah, directed the state to pay compensation of ₹17 lakh to RG Kar doctor's family in the rape and murder case.
'Not rarest of the rare' case: Kolkata court
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Judge Das said the crime did not fall under the "rarest of the rare" category as justification for not giving the death penalty to the convict.
Sanjay Roy, a former civic volunteer with the Kolkata Police, was brought to the court in Kolkata to pronounce the sentence amid tight security arrangements.
Judge Anirban Das heard Sanjay Roy's statement around 12:30pm on Monday before pronouncing the quantum of punishment.
Explaining the penalties of the section, the Kolkata court said to Sanjay Roy, "I told you the previous day the charges you were convicted against and the charges that have been proven against you."
When asked about his charges, Sanjay Roy claimed that he had not done anything and was being "falsely implicated."
"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," accused Sanjay Roy said.
During the sentencing, Sanjay Roy's lawyer said, "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 victim's family lawyer said, "I want death sentence as maximum punishment…"
Found guilty of sexually assaulting the 31-year-old trainee doctor and throttling her to death, Sanjay Roy was convicted by the judge under Sections 64, 66 and 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Section 64 (rape) of the BNS entails a punishment of not less than 10 years and can go up to life term.
Section 66 (punishment for causing death or resulting in a persistent vegetative state of the victim) provides for a punishment of not less than 20 years that may extend to imprisonment for life, which shall mean imprisonment for the remainder of that person's natural life, or with death.
Section 103(1) (murder) of BNS provides for the death penalty or imprisonment for life to a person convicted of the crime.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, before leaving for north Bengal, had said she would not comment until the court delivers its judgment.
"I had earlier demanded the death penalty, but it depends on the judge and how the case has been framed," the CM said.
The parents of the deceased doctor, who were on their way to the court, said they trusted the judiciary to deliver justice.
"We have faith in the judge," said the victim's father.
The deceased doctor's mother, however, expressed disappointment over the investigation by the CBI, alleging that "other perpetrators involved in the crime had not been brought to justice".
"Only one person is not involved in the crime, yet the CBI has failed to apprehend the others. Such criminals have no right to live if we are to prevent future crimes in society," the bereaved mother said.
The body of the trainee doctor was found on August 9 in the hospital's seminar room, triggering widespread protests across the nation. Roy was arrested a day after the incident, and the case was later transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
