CBI seeks death penalty for Sanjay Roy in RG Kar case, appeals in Calcutta HC

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed an appeal in the Calcutta High Court seeking a death sentence for Sanjay Roy, convicted in the rape and murder of an on-duty doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Roy, a civic volunteer, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Sealdah court on January 20. The CBI has challenged the adequacy of the sentence, asserting that the severity of the crime warrants the death penalty. Deputy Solicitor General Rajdeep Majumdar, representing the CBI, argued that the investigating agency has the right to appeal against the sentence, citing the inadequacy of the life term.

The Calcutta High Court has scheduled the hearing for January 27, when a division bench of Justices Debangsu Basak and Md Shabbar Rashidi will consider the CBI’s appeal. The state government of West Bengal has also filed a parallel appeal with a similar plea for the death penalty, which will be heard on the same day. Advocate General Kishore Dutta, representing the state, has argued that the Sealdah court’s life imprisonment sentence is inadequate and that the state's appeal should be admitted for consideration.

The case revolves around the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, 2024. Roy was arrested within 24 hours of the discovery of the victim’s body, found in a seminar hall at the hospital. The initial investigation was handled by Kolkata Police, but the Calcutta High Court transferred the case to the CBI on August 13, for further investigation. Roy was charged with the murder, rape, and other related offenses. The trial court, in its verdict, did not consider the case as falling under the "rarest of rare" category for a death sentence, which is a legal criterion for capital punishment in India.

On January 20, the Sealdah court sentenced Roy to life imprisonment till the end of his natural life. The court, in its judgment, noted that while the crime was heinous, it did not meet the threshold for the death penalty. The CBI has argued that the trial court’s decision was insufficient, given the nature of the crime and the severity of the offense. The investigating agency maintains that the right to challenge the sentence lies with the prosecuting agency, which is the CBI, and not the state government.

The Calcutta High Court will also hear from the victim’s family, who have voiced their desire for a harsher sentence. The family has not filed a separate appeal but will present their views during the hearing. The court will consider the arguments of the CBI, the state government, and the convict’s defense before making a decision on the appeals and the admissibility of the state’s petition. The outcome of the high court's ruling will determine whether the life imprisonment sentence will be upheld or if a death penalty will be imposed on Sanjay Roy.