West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday again expressed disappointment over the Sealdah court’s order sentencing Sanjay Roy, the sole convict in the rape and murder of a doctor in a government hospital, to life imprisonment till death.
The Sealdah court sent Roy to the state-run R.G. He was convicted of rape and murder of a doctor on duty at Kar Medical College and Hospital and sentenced to life imprisonment till death. The court had rejected the demand for death penalty saying it was not the “rarest of rare” crime.
At a public meeting in Malda, she said, “I am demanding death penalty for the accused in the RG Kar incident. If someone is so monstrous and barbaric, how can society remain humane? We have passed the Aparajita Bill, but the Center He is occupying it.”
Banerjee said, “If someone is sentenced to life imprisonment, that person can be released on parole. I was once a lawyer and have fought many cases. The judge of the Sealdah court said that this is not the rarest case. And death penalty cannot be given. If this is not the rarest of rare cases then what is.”
The Aparajita Bill, passed by the West Bengal Assembly in September 2024, aims to increase the death penalty and life imprisonment for rape and other sexual crimes.
“I think this is a rare, sensitive and heinous crime committed by the accused,” he said.
On Monday, Banerjee had expressed dissatisfaction over the Sealdah court order and claimed that the investigation work was forcibly taken away from the state police. He said that if it had been his job, he would have ensured the death penalty.
Later, posting on her X handle, Banerjee said that the state government will challenge the Sealdah court decision and approach the Calcutta High Court.
Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday allowed the West Bengal government to file an appeal against the Sealdah court order sentencing Roy to life imprisonment till death in the rape and murder case of a RG Kar Hospital doctor. .
Advocate General Kishore Dutta filed an appeal before a division bench headed by Justice Debangsu Basak seeking death penalty for Roy, the only convict in the case.