The Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government has filed an appeal in the Calcutta High Court against the Sealdah court’s verdict, which sentenced R.G. Kar rape and murder convict Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment. The government is pressing for capital punishment for Roy, arguing that the crime warrants the severest penalty.
A Division Bench headed by Justice Debangshu Basak has accepted the filing of the appeal. The state’s move follows Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s public discontent with the trial court’s decision.
Mamata Banerjee’s Reaction
Speaking to the media in Murshidabad, Mamata Banerjee expressed her dissatisfaction with the judgment. “From the first day, we’ve been demanding capital punishment. The case was taken away from us (Kolkata Police), and the Central Bureau of Investigation did the investigation. There should have been ultimate punishment for a person who committed such a crime,” Banerjee said.
ALSO READ: ‘If the case had remained with us…’: Mamata Banerjee cites displeasure over RG Kar court sentence; Bengal to press for death penalty
The Chief Minister also took to X (formerly Twitter), voicing her shock over the verdict. “In the R.G. Kar junior doctor’s rape and murder case, I’m really shocked to see that the court judgment finds that it’s not the rarest of rare case. We want and insist upon the death penalty in this most sinister and sensitive case,” she wrote.
In the R.G. Kar junior doctor’s rape and murder case, I am really shocked to see that the judgement of the Court today finds that it is not a Rarest of Rare case!
I am convinced that it is indeed a rarest of rare case which demands capital punishment. How could the judgement…
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) January 20, 2025
Trial Court Verdict
On Saturday, Additional District and Sessions Judge Anirban Das found Sanjay Roy, a 35-year-old civil volunteer attached to the Kolkata Police, guilty of the rape and murder of a junior doctor on August 9. The incident sparked widespread protests by junior doctors across West Bengal.
ALSO READ: ‘Not rarest of the rare’: RG Kar rape and murder convict Sanjoy Roy gets life in prison
Despite the conviction, the Sealdah court’s decision to award life imprisonment instead of the death penalty has drawn criticism from various quarters, including the ruling Trinamool Congress.
Public and Political Reactions
The Trinamool Congress held rallies and dharnas demanding the death penalty for Roy. Mamata Banerjee emphasized that in recent months, the state has secured capital punishment for convicts in similar heinous crimes, questioning why this case was treated differently.
What is the RG Kar rape and murder case?
The crime occurred on August 9 and involved the brutal rape and murder of a junior doctor associated with the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital. The incident led to massive protests by medical professionals, demanding swift justice. Sanjay Roy’s role in the crime was confirmed following an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
As the Calcutta High Court takes up the appeal, the state government remains firm in its demand for the death penalty, citing the “sensitive” and “sinister” nature of the case. The outcome will likely have significant ramifications, both legally and politically, in West Bengal.
