RG Kar rape-murder | Sanjay Roy gets life imprisonment; 'not rarest of rare': judge
The court also directed the State to pay a compensation of Rs 17 lakh to the family of the deceased doctor
A Kolkata court has sentenced civic volunteer Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9 last year.
Roy, who was convicted of the crime on Saturday (January 19), was brought to the Sealdah court amid tight security arrangements for the pronouncement of the sentence on Monday (January 20). Judge Anirban Das of the Additional District and Sessions Court, Sealdah, heard Roy’s statement at 12.30 pm before pronouncing the quantum of punishment.
'Not rarest of the rare' category
Judge Das, while pronouncing the sentence, said the crime did not fall under the "rarest of the rare" category as his justification for not giving the death penalty to the convict.
The court also directed the State to pay a compensation of ₹17 lakh to the family of the deceased doctor.
The sentence was passed after the judge heard the final statements of the convict and his counsels placed in self-defence as well as those of the victim's family and the CBI.
‘I have been framed,’ says convict
“It has been proven that you raped and killed the victim. Now I want to know your views on the punishment,” Judge Anirban Das told Roy as the CBI lawyer sought capital punishment.
To that, Roy said he had “been framed”. “I haven’t done this. I have been framed,” he told the court. “I heard lots of things were destroyed. You decide whether I have been framed or not,” he added.
Roy’s lawyer told the court that even if the case is rarest of rare, there should be scope for reformation.
“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," Roy’s lawyer said.
Heavy security at Sealdah court
Flanked by several police vehicles, Roy was brought out of jail around 10.15 am.
The Sealdah court was fortified with nearly 500 policemen and the authorities left no stone unturned to prevent any untoward incident, an officer said.
Despite the heavy police deployment, many people thronged the court premises and some were seen attempting to climb railings to catch a glimpse of the convict.
Also read: RG Kar case | If guilty, no objection if he’s hanged: Sanjay Roy’s mother
Trust in judiciary
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, before leaving for north Bengal, said she would not comment until the court delivered its judgement.
“I had earlier demanded the death penalty, but it depends on the judge and how the case has been framed,” she said before the sentencing.
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.
Disappointment with CBI
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.
Also read: RG Kar verdict | Case not over, will keep fighting for justice: Doc’s mother
Crime most foul
Roy, a former civic volunteer with the Kolkata Police, was arrested a day after the incident, and the case was later transferred to the CBI.
Found guilty of sexually assaulting the doctor and throttling her to death, 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.
Sanjay Roy’s mother did not respond to the media, but his sister said, “All evidence is against him. If he receives severe punishment, even the death penalty, what can we do?”
(With agency inputs)
