‘Not rarest…’: Why Sanjay Roy didn’t get death penalty in RG Kar rape-murder case

Sanjay Roy, an ex-civil volunteer, was sentenced to life in prison until death on Monday for the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital last year. The statement sparked a surge of discontent since numerous people anticipated the capital punishment for Roy due to the offense that incited national anger. An attorney detailed the Sealdah judge’s rationale for choosing to save his life. Advocate Rehman informed that the extra judge of the sessions court explained that the offense does not qualify as one of the “rarest of the rare” cases.

“Additional Judge of Sessions court, Sealdah has sentenced Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment till death to Sanjay Roy. The court directed the state government to give compensation of ₹17 lakhs to the victim’s family. CBI had demanded capital punishment for the convict in the case. The judge said that this is not a rarest of the rare cases, hence capital punishment has not been awarded,” he said.

Additional district and sessions judge in Sealdah, Anirban Das, had on Saturday found Roy guilty of committing the crime against the postgraduate trainee doctor on August 9 last year. The court has mandated Roy to pay a fine of ₹50,000 and instructed the state government to provide ₹17 lakh in compensation to the family of the late doctor.

Judge Das mentioned that the offense did not qualify as “rarest of the rare,” which rationalized the choice to refrain from imposing the death penalty on the offender. The judge rejected the CBI’s request for capital punishment.

“The CBI prayed for the death penalty. The defence lawyer prayed that a jail term be given instead of the death penalty…this crime does not fall under the rarest of the rare category,” he said. The judge further said that under Section 66, Sanjay Roy  will remain in prison till his death. “Since the victim died while on duty in the hospital, her place of work, it is the responsibility of the state to pay compensation to the family of the doctor – ₹10 lakh for the death and ₹7 lakh for the rape,” Das said.

Earlier today, Roy claimed he was being framed.

“I am being framed and have not committed any crime. I have not done anything, and still, I have been held guilty,” Roy told the court.The parents of the deceased said they were not satisfied with the verdict.

“We are shocked. How can this not be the rarest of the rare cases? An on-duty doctor was raped and murdered while being on duty. We are dismayed. There was a larger conspiracy behind this crime,” the mother said.