Kolkata: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed an appeal on Thursday in the Calcutta High Court, challenging the life imprisonment sentence awarded to Sanjoy Roy, who was convicted of the rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Death Penalty Plea
The CBI has requested the court to impose the death penalty on Roy, arguing that the case qualifies as a “rarest of the rare” instance. However, the trial court had declined to impose the death sentence, with Additional District and Sessions Judge Anirban Das ruling that the crime did not meet the criteria for such a sentence.
State’s Plea and Legal Debate
Hours after the CBI’s appeal, the West Bengal government also filed a plea in the High Court, seeking the death penalty for Roy. The CBI objected to this move, stating that only the victim’s family, the investigating agency, or the convict could appeal to a higher court. The state government contended that the incident occurred in a state-run hospital, making it a law and order issue under the state’s jurisdiction.
The Division Bench of Justice Debangshu Basak and Justice Md Shabbar Rashidi noted that the court would hear the victim’s family and the convict before deciding whether the state had the right to challenge the trial court’s ruling.
Victim’s Family Reacts
The father of the deceased doctor expressed frustration over the state’s actions, stating that he was not informed about the state’s plea to challenge the sentence. He also pointed out that the state had not shown much interest during the investigation, raising questions about its current eagerness to pursue the matter.
Life Sentence and Convict’s Lawyer’s Concerns
On Monday, Roy was sentenced to life imprisonment “until his last breath” by Additional Sessions Judge Anirban Das. Roy, a 35-year-old civic volunteer, had been convicted on charges of rape and murder. The incident, which occurred on August 9, led to widespread outrage and protests by doctors across West Bengal.
Roy’s lawyer, meanwhile, has complained that they were not allowed to meet Roy in the Presidency Correctional Home to get his signature on the vakalatnama. The High Court has directed the state to facilitate the meeting, and the matter will be heard again on Monday.
