(Image source from: Indianexpress.com)
A court in Kolkata has found Sanjay Roy guilty of raping and murdering a doctor who was on duty at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. This shocking crime sparked widespread outrage and protests across the country. The Sealdah court, where Roy's trial was held, will announce his sentence on Monday, according to the additional district and sessions judge. The verdict was delivered nearly two months after the trial began in November last year, and 162 days after the horrific crime was committed on August 9, 2024. Roy was found guilty under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deal with rape, death, and murder. The judge stated that the charges against Roy were proven by the CBI. Roy will have the opportunity to present his statement before the court on Monday, and the sentence will be pronounced thereafter. During the verdict, Roy claimed that he was framed.
The police took Roy, the civic volunteer, into custody from the courtroom after the verdict and sent him to the Presidency Correctional Home under strict supervision, preventing the waiting media from interacting with the convict. The victim's parents were grateful to the judge for the guilty verdict and said the court had upheld the trust they had placed in it. The CBI, in its chargesheet, identified Roy as the prime and sole suspect in the gruesome rape and murder of the postgraduate trainee at the state-run hospital. The Kolkata Police, who initially investigated the case, arrested Roy a day after the victim's body was found in the hospital's seminar room. The Calcutta High Court later transferred the case to the CBI, which had sought the death penalty for the accused. The in-camera trial began on November 12, and 50 witnesses were examined, with the hearing concluding on January 9.
The crime sparked nationwide outrage and prolonged protests by junior doctors in Kolkata, who demanded justice for the victim and stronger security arrangements in state-run hospitals. Political parties, including the BJP and the CPI(M), condemned the horrific crime, but non-partisan movements seeking justice were more prominent, with members of the public at the center. Residents of Kolkata and other cities in the state organized late-night marches, dubbed "Reclaim the Night," to demand justice for the doctor.
