Citizens protest in front of Sealdah Court where the trial happened
| Photo Credit: Debasish Bhaduri

A sessions court in Kolkata on Monday (January 20, 2025) sentenced Sanjay Roy, the convict in the rape and murder of a doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, to life imprisonment

The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Sealdah Anirban Das said that he does not think it is rarest of rare case and awarded life sentence to the convict Sanjay Roy. 

Also read: Kolkata doctor rape and murder case sentencing LIVE

“You will be in the prison till the last day of your life,” Judge Anirban Das said while reading order. The Court also directed that the victim’s parents will get a compensation of ₹17 lakh- ₹10 lakh for the death of the victim, and ₹7 lakh for rape. The Court also awarded ₹ 50,00 fine from the convict in the case.

The parents of the doctor told the court that they don’t want any compensation. “We only want justice for our daughter. Nothing else,” the victim’s father says.  “I know this death can’t be compensated. It is the liability of the state because she was an on-duty doctor, and we have to pay this compensation because we are bound by law,” the Judge said.

The Additional District and Sessions Court, Sealdah had on January 18, 2025 declared Sanjay Roy, a former civic police volunteer guilty of rape and murder of the postgraduate trainee at the hospital on August 9 last year.

Calling it rarest of the rare case, the counsel of the CBI sought capital punishment for the convict. The lawyer representing Roy had prayed for any alternative punishment other than death.

“I have not done anything I am being falsely implicated. I used to live in police Barrack, no one from my family came to meet me. I have been beaten by police,” the convict had said before the Court. The CBI in its chargesheet on October 7 had charged Sanjay Roy with Sections 64 ( rape), 66 (causing injury resulting in death of rape victim) and 103 (1) ( murder) of BNS.

Section 64 lays down imprisonment not less than ten years which may extend to life imprisonment and the Sessions court awarded lifetime imprisonment plus ₹50,000 fine in this section. Section 66 provides for imprisonment of not less than 20 years which may extend to life 103 (1) provides for death penalty or life imprisonment. In both Section 66 and 103 (1) the court awarded life imprisonment. The investigation agency in its charge sheet had presented 11 pieces of evidence that confirmed the involvement of the convict in the gruesome crime.

Parents of the victim doctor had also said that the convict should get the “harshest of punishment”. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that she also wanted capital in the case and was not satisfied with the outcome of the case. “ Had there been capital punishment, it would have brought some consolation”.

The conviction and sentencing mark an important milestone in the demand for justice for the postgraduate trainee doctor whose body was found at the seminar room of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. Soon after the award of sentence protests erupted outside the court and slogans were raised against the CBI. Doctors and members of civil society expressed their dissatisfaction with the verdict and said they will continue with their protests.