Tue Jan 21 06:31:16 UTC 2025: **West Bengal Government Appeals for Death Penalty in RG Kar Rape-Murder Case**
Kolkata, West Bengal – The West Bengal government has appealed to the High Court to overturn a life imprisonment sentence handed down to Sanjay Roy, the convict in the high-profile RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case. The state government, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, argues that Roy’s crime falls into the “rarest of rare” category and deserves the death penalty.
Roy, a former civic volunteer, was convicted on Saturday for the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College last August. The Sessions Court judge, Anirban Das, while acknowledging the heinous nature of the crime, sentenced Roy to life imprisonment, stating that the case did not meet the criteria for the death penalty, citing the principles of reformative justice and the sanctity of human life. In his 172-page judgment, Judge Das emphasized the importance of basing justice on evidence, not public opinion.
The trial court’s decision sparked immediate outrage from Chief Minister Banerjee, who expressed her dissatisfaction and claimed that Kolkata Police, had they remained in charge of the investigation, would have secured the death penalty. The case was initially handled by Kolkata Police before being transferred to the CBI following allegations of mishandling.
Advocate General Kishore Dutta today filed an appeal with the High Court division bench headed by Justice Debangshu Basak, seeking the death penalty for Roy. The High Court has accepted the appeal.
The victim’s parents, who were awarded Rs 17 lakh in compensation, rejected the financial assistance, stating their priority was justice. The case continues to generate significant public attention and debate about the application of capital punishment in India.
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