Kolkata:
In a stark display of dissatisfaction, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has vehemently criticized the life imprisonment sentence handed to Sanjay Roy, the convict in the gruesome rape and murder case of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The case, which ignited nationwide protests and widespread outrage, has seen Banerjee and the public demand the highest form of punishment – the death penalty.
Banerjee’s strong stance comes after the Sealdah court in Kolkata sentenced Roy to life imprisonment until death on Monday, despite the heinous nature of the crime. The victim, a 31-year-old trainee doctor, was found dead on August 9 last year, sparking an unprecedented wave of protests by junior doctors across the country.
Sanjay Roy, a former civic volunteer with the Kolkata Police, was convicted of raping and murdering the doctor in a seminar hall at the hospital. The crime was so brutal that it led to a national outcry, with many calling for stringent punishment. However, the court, presided over by Additional District and Sessions Judge Anirban Das, ruled that the crime did not fall under the “rarest of the rare” category, thereby denying the death penalty.
Banerjee has been vocal about her dissatisfaction, blaming the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for taking the case away from the Kolkata Police. She claims that had the state police handled the investigation, they would have ensured a death sentence for Roy. “We demanded death penalty from Day 1. We demand it now too. If the case had stayed with us, we would have ensured death penalty long back,” she emphasized.
The victim’s family and various doctors’ associations have expressed deep dismay over the verdict. They argue that there was a larger conspiracy behind the crime and that other culprits remain at large. The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) India, which was at the forefront of the protests, expressed their disappointment, stating that the life imprisonment sentence was insufficient for such a heinous crime.
The court has ordered the state to pay Rs 17 lakh as compensation to the victim’s family, including Rs 10 lakh for the death and Rs 7 lakh for the rape. Despite this, the family and supporters feel that justice has not been fully served.
Banerjee has announced that her government will appeal the ruling in the High Court, seeking capital punishment for Roy. She remains convinced that the case warrants the death penalty, given its severity and the public’s demand for justice. “We will plead for capital punishment of the convict at the High Court now,” she stated, reflecting the determination of her government to ensure that the perpetrator faces the maximum penalty.
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