Kolkata Court Sentences Sanjay Roy to Life Imprisonment in RG Kar Doctor Murder Case

Sanjay Roy’s lawyer pleaded for a sentence other than the death penalty, arguing that even in this rarest of rare cases, there should be scope for reform.

RG Kar Doctor Case Verdict: A Kolkata sessions court has sentenced Sanjay Roy in the RG Kar rape and murder case (RG Kar Rape Murder Case). The court had earlier stated that the minimum sentence would be life imprisonment, while the maximum sentence would be the death penalty. Delivering its verdict at 2:45 PM, the court sentenced the guilty, Sanjay Roy, to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹50,000. The verdict was initially scheduled for after 2:30 PM, but the court reserved its judgment until 2:45 PM after hearing the final statements of the accused and others.

In his argument, Sanjay Roy’s lawyer pleaded for a sentence other than the death penalty, arguing that even in this rarest of rare cases, there should be scope for reform. The court should demonstrate why the accused is not worthy of reform or rehabilitation. The prosecution must present evidence and reasons why the individual is beyond reform and should be completely removed from society.

Sanjay’s Statement in Court

Before the verdict was pronounced, the accused was produced in court. During this time, Sanjay Roy stated to the court that he was being framed and had committed no crime. In response, the CBI argued that this was a heinous crime that had shaken the entire nation. The CBI advocate urged the court to impose the strictest possible sentence to maintain public trust. The victim’s parents had sought the death penalty for the accused.

Provisions of the Sentence

Under Section 64 (rape) of the BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita), a minimum sentence of 10 years is prescribed, which can extend to life imprisonment. Section 66 prescribes a minimum sentence of 20 years, which can also extend to life imprisonment. Under Section 103(1) (murder) of the BNS, the accused faces either the death penalty or life imprisonment.