GUWAHATI: A sessions court in Kolkata has found Sanjoy Roy, the main accused in the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, guilty of the charges on Saturday, January 18. The court's ruling has come after careful examination of forensic evidence, which confirmed Roy's involvement in the crime, including the presence of his DNA at the crime scene and on the body of the deceased.
At the sentencing hearing, Roy denied his involvement, claiming his innocence, despite the strong forensic evidence against him. Sessions judge Anirban Das noted that the maximum penalty Roy could face would be the death sentence, while the minimum could be life imprisonment. The court is set to decide his fate on Monday.
The shocking incident of rape and murder, which occurred in August 2024, sparked nationwide outrage, prompting widespread protests across Kolkata and the rest of India. The case was initially handled by the West Bengal CID, but the matter was later transferred to the CBI by the Calcutta High Court. The investigation was further monitored by the Supreme Court, which took suo motu action to frame guidelines for workplace safety for doctors. The Supreme Court also oversaw the progress of the investigation.
The case had sparked nationwide protests, with people across Kolkata and the rest of India demanding justice for the victim. Initially handled by the West Bengal CID, the investigation was later transferred to the CBI. During the investigation, it was revealed that there were allegations of malpractice and corruption involving former principal Sandip Ghosh, who was accused of mishandling the case.
The police officer in charge of the jurisdictional police station, who had originally registered the incident as an 'unnatural death' and suggested the possibility of suicide, was also implicated in the controversy. However, as the CBI failed to file timely charges against Ghosh and the officer-in-charge, they were granted bail.
