RG Kar Case
Kolkata court finds civic volunteer Roy guilty, quantum of punishment Mon
This story was originally published at 15:38 IST on 18 January 2025
Register to read our real-time news.Informist, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025
--Kolkata court holds civic volunteer Roy guilty in RG Kar rape-murder case
--CONTEXT: Court verdict in junior doctor's rape, murder at RG Kar Hospital
--Court to Mon announce punishment for Roy in RG Kar rape-murder case
NEW DELHI – An additional district court in Sealdah, Kolkata on Saturday held that Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer who was accused of rape and murder of a 31-year-old junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, was guilty. The court said that the quantum of punishment will be pronounced on Monday.
The court relied on forensic reports which pointed to the involvement of Roy in the incident. Additional District Judge Anirban Das said that the maximum possible sentence for Roy would be death penalty, while the minimum possible sentence would be life imprisonment.
In the hearing, Roy said that he was falsely implicated in the case. "I have been falsely implicated. I have not done this. Those who have done so are being let go. One IPS (Indian Police Service) involved...," said Roy.
The junior doctor was found dead at a seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on Aug. 9. Police had, thereafter, arrested Roy in connection with the case. The country had witnessed protests and strikes by doctors across several cities demanding justice for the victim. On Aug. 13, the Calcutta High Court had transferred the probe into the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
In October, the Central Bureau of Investigation had filed a chargesheet against the prime accused under Sections 64, 66, 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The agency had sought the harshest punishment for Roy, presenting evidence, including closed-circuit television camera footage which indicated his presence near the crime scene.
The case had even caught the Supreme Court's attention on Aug. 20, when it observed that the nation cannot wait for another rape for things to change on the ground. Taking suo moto cognisance of the incident, the apex court had formed a national task force to make recommendations on safety and working conditions of the medical professionals. If women are not able to go to work and conditions are not safe, we are denying them equality, said then Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud had said.
The top court had also pulled up Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College, for passing off the victim's case as suicide and not allowing her parents to see the body. "What was the principal doing? FIR (First Information Report) was not filed; body was handed late to parents..." The court had also questioned the state government's move to appoint the principal to some other college immediately after his resignation. "When the conduct of the principal is under scrutiny, how was the principal appointed as a principal of another college immediately?" it had said.
The court had also come down heavily on the West Bengal Police for its failure to prevent vandalism at the hospital after the incident. On Aug. 15, a large mob vandalised the emergency ward and other areas of the hospital. "What is the police doing? A serious offence has taken place, the crime scene has taken place in hospital...What are they doing? Allowing vandalists to enter the hospital?" asked the top court. "We are unable to comprehend how the state (Bengal) was not able to handle the issue of vandalism at the hospital."
The CBI is also probing a case of financial irregularities at the hospital during Ghosh’s tenure. In its 125-page chargesheet, CBI had named Ghosh, his close aide Ashish Pandey, and others under Section 120B, 409, 420, 468 and 471 of Indian Penal Code Sections 7, 13(2) with 13(1)(a) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. End
Reported by Surya Tripathi
Edited by Tanima Banerjee
For users of real-time market data terminals, Informist news is available exclusively on the NSE Cogencis WorkStation.
Cogencis news is now Informist news. This follows the acquisition of Cogencis Information Services Ltd by NSE Data & Analytics Ltd, a 100% subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. As a part of the transaction, the news department of Cogencis has been sold to Informist Media Pvt Ltd.
Informist Media Tel +91 (11) 4220-1000
Send comments to feedback@informistmedia.com
© Informist Media Pvt. Ltd. 2025. All rights reserved.
To read more please subscribe
Share this Story:
