WEST BENGAL: In a big judgment, Sanjay Roy was sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday, January 20, for the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The verdict was delivered by the Sealdah CBI Court, which also imposed a fine of Rs.50,000 on the convict. The judge ruled that the case did not fall under the "rarest of rare" category, thereby denying the death penalty.

The heinous crime took place on August 9 last year when Roy, a civic volunteer with Kolkata Police, sexually assaulted and strangled the postgraduate trainee doctor to death. The court convicted Roy under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 64 (rape), 66 (causing death or vegetative state of the victim), and 103(1) (murder).

Details of the Judgment

Section 64 of BNS entails a punishment of at least 10 years, extendable to a life term.

Section 66 prescribes a minimum of 20 years of imprisonment, which could extend to life imprisonment for the convict’s natural lifespan or, in extreme cases, the death penalty.

Section 103(1) addresses murder, carrying penalties of life imprisonment or the death sentence.

Despite the grave nature of the crime, the court determined that the circumstances did not warrant the death penalty, sparking debate over the ruling.

Heightened Security During Verdict Announcement

On the day of the sentencing, Roy was brought to the court under tight security. The area around the Sealdah court was fortified, with nearly 500 police personnel deployed to prevent any disruptions.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who had previously called for the death penalty in this case, refrained from commenting on the final sentence. “I had earlier demanded the death penalty, but it depends on the judge and the framing of the case,” she said.

During the proceedings, Sanjay Roy continued to assert his innocence, claiming he was falsely implicated. He alleged that he was acting under instructions from "IPS officers" and questioned why his Rudraksha necklace did not break if he had committed the crime.

Background of the Case

Roy was arrested on August 10 last year, a day after the crime. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which took over the probe, submitted a detailed 45-page chargesheet. The document included 11 key pieces of evidence that implicated Roy as the sole accused in the case.

The conviction and life sentence bring some closure to the tragic incident that shocked the medical community and the public. However, debates surrounding the severity of the punishment continue to evoke mixed reactions.