RG Kar rape and murder case: Convict Sanjay Roy sentenced to imprisonment till death; judge rules ‘not rare crime’

RG Kar rape and murder case: On Monday, Sanjay Roy, convicted of raping and murdering a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the CBI court in Kolkata's Sealdah. The court also imposed a fine of ₹50,000 on convict Sanjay Roy. The CBI court judge ruled that the crime committed by Sanjay Roy was not classified as the "rarest of rare" and, therefore, denied him the death penalty.

The CBI court has also ordered the West Bengal government to compensate the family of the postgraduate trainee doctor with ₹17 lakh.

On Saturday, the CBI court in Kolkata's Sealdah declared Sanjay Roy as the sole convict in the RG Kar rape and murder case, which occurred on the intervening night of August 8 and 9, 2024.

Sanjay Roy was convicted on the basis of forensic evidence, CCTV footage, and phone signals.

Scratch injuries on Roy's body matched the blood and skin samples collected from the RG Kar rape and murder victim's fingernails. Moreover, hair samples collected from the crime scene – the seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital – also matched the DNA of Sanjay Roy.

What is the RG Kar rape-murder case?

A 31-year-old junior doctor was raped and killed at the state-run RG Kar hospital in Kolkata on August 9 last year. The victim’s body was found in the seminar room of the hospital.

The trial in the RG Kar rape and murder case commenced in a Kolkata court on November 11, three months after the incident.

The CBI, which took over the probe from the Kolkata Police on the Calcutta High Court’s direction, has sought “maximum punishment” for Roy. The trial was completed on January 9.

Who is Sanjay Roy?

Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer with the Kolkata Police, was arrested on August 10. The CBI, in its 45-page chargesheet submitted to the court, had listed 11 pieces of evidence to hold Sanjay Roy the sole accused in the crime.

Sanjay Roy claims ‘being falsely implicated’

While the CBI court was pronouncing the judgment, Sanjay Roy repeatedly claimed that he was being falsely implicated and stated that he was merely following instructions from "IPS officers".

Sanjay Roy claimed that he wears a Rudraksha necklace and questioned why it did not break if he had indeed committed the crime of rape.