RG Kar Rape and Murder: Kolkata court sentences Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment

Sanjay Roy, the prime accused in the rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Kolkata on Monday, The Telegraph reported. .Additional district and sessions judge Anirban Das refused to impose death penalty, stating that the crime could not be classified as "rarest of rare", the test to impose capital punishment. The Court also ordered the West Bengal government to grant ₹17 lakh as compensation to the family of the deceased victim. The judge had convicted Das on January 18 after an in-camera trial that lasted 57 days."The CCTV footages, the version of the accused during his examination u/s 351 BNSS, the contradictory defence pleas without any evidence, the DNA examination reports points the arrows towards this accused only behind the incident of rape and murder of the victim and the involvement of any other person behind the said incident can easily be ruled out," the judge held. The Court also criticised both the Kolkata police and the RG Kar Hospital for various lapses on their part in handling the case, but added that these lapses were not fatal to the prosecution's case. "I think that the illegal/indifferent/lackadaisical acts on the part of the police authority of Tala PS as well as the administrative wing of R.G Kar Medical College and Hospital will not stand as a stumbling block on the way of trial of this case," it said..It had kept the matter for today to decide the sentence to be handed down to Roy.The CBI, which had investigated the matter, sought death penalty for Roy but the Court declined. The Court acknowledged that the crime was heinous, brutal and barbaric but added that it must rise above primitive considerations like "an eye for an eye" when it comes to imposing punishment. Courts have a duty to ensure that justice is based on evidence and not just public sentiments, it said. The Court concluded that it cannot bow down to public pressure and impose the death penalty on Roy as this was not a case that fell within the 'rarest of the rare' category. "It is evident that this case does not meet the stringent criteria for being classified as 'rarest of the rare.' ... it would be inappropriate to accede to the prosecution's request for the death penalty. While acknowledging the immense grief and suffering of the victim's parents, for which no sentence can provide complete solace, the court's duty is to pass a sentence that is proportionate, just and in accordance with established legal principles ... The court must resist the temptation to bow to public pressure or emotional appeals and instead focus on delivering a verdict that upholds the integrity of the legal system and serves the broader interests of justice," the judgment read..The case concerns the rape and murder of a 31-year-old resident doctor, who was found dead at the State-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9, 2024.The doctor was found dead at a seminar hall of the college and an autopsy confirmed that she was raped and murdered.The incident sparked nationwide outrage and protests with doctors in various parts of the country going on strike demanding stricter laws and policing to ensure the safety of medical professionals.Roy, civic volunteer with the city police, was arrested by the Kolkata Police on August 10, 2024 a day after the incident..The investigation into the case was eventually transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the Calcutta High Court. The trial court in West Bengal framed criminal charges for rape and murder against Roy. The trial started on November 12, 2024 and concluded on January 9 with the CBI seeking the death penalty for Roy.Meanwhile, the CBI also arrested former RG Kar principal Sandeep Ghosh and police officer Abhijeet Mondal accusing them of attempt to destroy evidence.However, they were granted default bail since the CBI could not file the chargesheet against them within the stipulated 90-day deadline.Dr. Ghosh continues to remain in jail since he has also been booked in a case concerning alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital..Meanwhile, the Supreme Court too initiated a suo motu case after the incident in which it proceeded to examine larger concerns of workplace safety for medical professionals, apart from concerns about the probe and trial in the RG Kar case. The top court in that case ordered the establishment of a National Task Force (NTF) to examine the larger issues of safety and dignity of doctors and medical professionals and to address gender-based violence against such professionals at the workplace.The NTF submitted a report to the Court in November 2024 and the same is currently under consideration by various States..[Read Judgment]