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A Kolkata court will pronounce its judgment on Monday on the quantum of punishment for Sanjoy Roy, a former police civic volunteer convicted of the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The verdict by the court may send the case to either the gallows or a life term, with the brutal nature of the crime making it a cause célèbre nationwide.
Roy Found Guilty Of Heinous Crime
The case, which has drawn widespread outrage and protests, saw Roy convicted on Saturday by the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Anirban Das in Sealdah. Roy, who had been employed as a civic volunteer with the Kolkata Police, was found guilty of raping and murdering the postgraduate trainee on August 9, 2024.
Despite the overwhelming evidence against him, Roy continued to maintain his innocence throughout the trial, claiming that he had been falsely implicated. The court, however, ruled against him, stating that Roy sexually assaulted the doctor and throttled her to death, leading to his conviction under the Indian Penal Code (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, BNS).
The tragic incident occurred on August 9, when the body of the doctor was found in a seminar room of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The medical practitioner, who was a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee, was reportedly on duty when she was attacked. Police investigation revealed that Roy had forcefully assaulted and then murdered the doctor by throttling her. Roy was arrested the following day, August 10, 2024.
The brutality of the crime sparked widespread protests throughout the nation, demanding justice for the young doctor. Even the parents of the victim and public voices rose to record a more severe action on the part of the governing body.
Legal Provisions And Possible Sentencing
Roy’s conviction is supported by three significant sections of the BNS:
- Section 64 (Rape) : The punishment includes at least 10 years of prison with a possibility of lifetime imprisonment.
- Section 66 Death or Persistent Vegetative State This provision requires a minimum sentence of not less than 20 years, and it can even go up to a life imprisonment or death penalty.
- Section 103(1) Murder Under this section, there is a possibility of either the death penalty or life imprisonment for one convicted of murder.
According to the legal experts, the court may punish him for life or even give him the harshest form of punishment: the death penalty, which will strictly depend on the crime committed and the case presented before the court.
CBI Takes Over Legal Proceedings
The case was initially handled by the Kolkata Police but was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the Calcutta High Court. This transfer aimed to ensure a thorough and impartial investigation into the crime, as questions were raised regarding the handling of the case by the local police and the hospital authorities.
The judgment of Judge Anirban Das also dealt with the issues raised by the victim’s father, with a detailed 160-page ruling criticizing certain actions of the police and the management of the hospital. The court’s decision is a critical moment in the pursuit of justice for the victim despite all these challenges.
As the court is set to deliver the verdict, the victim’s parents have thanked the court for serving justice so far. They have said they are hopeful the court will hand down the proper punishment for the crime, bringing the horrific ordeal that their family has gone through to a close.
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