RG Kar Case Verdict: Accused Held Guilty But Victims' Parents Seek 'Full Truth'

Sealdah Additoinal Session’s Court held Sanjay Roy, the civic volunteer of Kolkata Police as guilty of the crime.

A member of Abhaya Mancha during a protest as Sanjay Roy, accused in the alleged rape and murder of an on-duty doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, is produced at a Kolkata court on the day of the verdict, in Kolkata, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. The court found Roy guilty in the case.

(Photo: PTI)

Ending the trial of the rape and murder of a junior doctor of the government run RG Kar hospital in Kolkata, the Sealdah Additoinal Session’s Court on Saturday, 18 January sentenced Sanjay Roy, the civic volunteer working for the Kolkata Police and the prime accused in the case as guilty of the crime.

Circumstantial evidence and the chain of events put up by the investigation proved that the accused is guilty of the crime, with the verdict been pronounced by Honourable judge Anirban Das. “The victim doctor was sleeping when the accused attacked her, sexually assaulted her. She died,” he said.

“Witnesses and evidence established your guilt. You are being convicted,” the Judge Anirban Das said and announced that the quantum of punishment will be given on Monday next.

Police personnel keep vigil outside the Sealdah court where the judgement in the alleged rape and murder of an on-duty doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital was delivered, in Kolkata, Saturday, 18 January, 2025.

(Photo: PTI)

The Judge held the civic volunteer guilty on three counts under section 64 ( rape), 66 ( inflicting injury causing death ) and 103(1) of the Bharatiya Naya Sanhita that deals with murder. The Judge pointed out that minimum and maximum punishment of life imprisonment and death penalty in each of these sections.

In course of the day’s deliberations, Roy who stood on the dock was allowed to speak briefly and he said: “I have not done this. I have not been allowed to speak. One IPS officer is involved in this crime.”

Then showing his Rudrakshaw bead around his neck, Roy said: “See I am wearing this chain. I was wearing this on the day of the incident. Should I be involved in the crime, this chain would have snapped out of scuffling. But this this is intact.”

However, he was whisked away after some time from the court room and he is to be produced again on Monday to make his submission.

It was a packed court room on Saturday with curious onlookers and groups of lawyers representing different sides lining up the chamber. The trial right from the beginning had been held in camera but on Saturday, the Judge opened the court to the public to listen to the proceedings.

'Full Truth is Yet To Be Told'

Among those present were the parents of the victim lady doctor who sat through the proceedings and later told media: “We have just climbed just the first step with the sentencing today. There are many more to go.”

Earlier, the parents said: “The truth is yet to be told. Our daughter could not have met such a horrific end by a single man. As long as all the culprits are not held acountable and punished, we will remain in pain and agony.”

“We refuse to accept that the civic volunteer was the lone perpetrator of the crime. Even circumstantial evidence had suggested the involvement of more men in this heinous crime. Some influential quarters are being shielded,” said the parents.

With today’s sentencing, the trial of the rape and murder of the junior doctor ended at the Sessions Court – a designated Fast Track Court after five months and nine days - after162 days since the crime was committed on 9 August, 2024.

The crime against the 31-year-old junior post-graduate doctor, which took place while she was on a 36-hour-long shift, was one of the most outrageous incidents of recent times.

People and media persons gather near the barricade, temporarily installed near the Sealdah court, on the day of judgement in the alleged rape and murder of an on-duty doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, in Kolkata, Saturday, 18 January, 2025.

(Photo: PTI)

She had reportedly retired in a seminar room of the chest medicine department on the third floor of the hospital in the wee hours of 9 August when she was attacked by the assailant, raped and murdered.

The victim’s parents had submitted a list of over 40 questions before the trial court through their lawyers which they felt needed to be answered.

These included the discrepancies in the CFSL report and the multi-institutions medical board, the crime scene, the claimed recovery of more than one DNA samples from the crime scene and from the body swabs of the victim.

'Roy Being Made a Scapegoat'

Roy's lawyer Sourav Banerjee alleged that he is being made a scapegoat.

“Sanjay was made a scapegoat. He has been framed. Like the parents of the victim, we strongly feel that there were more people involved in the crime. A single person cannot commit such a horrific crime. Therefore, the CBI argument of it being a rarest of rare crime does not hold ground as there were more people involved and they are yet to be brought to light," he said.

During the course of the hearings, the lawyers arguing for Roy pointed out at the discrepancies in the investigation and the forensic examination reports. The CBI accused the civic volunteer of being the sole perpetrator of the crime while forensic reports had indicated the presence of multiple DNA samples at the crime scene.

As many as 128 witnesses were cited by the CBI which took over the investigation of the case on 13 August following a Calcutta High Court mandate. As many as 51 key witnesses were examined and cross examined.

Police personnel keep vigil as Sanjay Roy, accused in the alleged rape and murder of an on-duty doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, is brought to the Sealdah court in police vehicle on the day of the verdict, in Kolkata, Saturday, 18 January, 2025.

(Photo: PTI)

The CBI, meanwhile, sought death penalty for the accused, arguing that Roy was indeed the sole perpetrator of the crime and that here was no evidence of a gang rape of the victim. Some of the conclusive evidence of Roy’s complicity in the crime was the DNA samples, reports of the multi-institutional medical board and the central forensic laboratory, and CCTV footages.

The CBI had booked Sanjay Roy on charges under several sections of the Bharatiya Naya Sanhita including Section 64 ( Rape), Section 66, (Inflicting injury and causing death), and Section 103 (1) (Murder).

Protesting Doctors 'Unhappy' With Verdict

In its submission before the court, the CBI also argued that that heinous crime was part of a larger conspiracy and charged the former Principal and medical superintendent of the RG Kar hospital Dr Sandip Ghosh and Abhijit Mandal, Officer in charge of Tala police station of alleged disruption of the crime scene, tampering of evidence, and financial irregularities.

Ghosh and Mandal were arrested on 15 September last year. The CBI had indicated that it might file supplementary charge sheet in relation to the alleged complicity of Ghosh and Mandal but it failed to do so within the stipulated time frame, paving the way for granting of bail for both. While Mandal is out on bail, Ghosh continues to be in judicial custody in separate cases of financial irregularities at the R G Kar hospital which both CBI and ED are investigating.

Abhaya Manch, a platform of different junior doctor’s organisations, non- governmental bodies and civil society activists held demonstrations outside the Sealdah court during the trial today, expressing dissatisfaction with the investigation.

“We are dissatisfied with the trial court outcome and the CBI investigation. We do not agree with the findings that a police volunteer was the sole perpetrator of the crime. No right thinking people will ever agree that it was a crime by a single man," one of the members said.

Medical Service Centre State Scretary, Dr Biplab Chandra said: “The RG KAR rape and murder trial implicated a sole perpetrator but it is evident that it was not a one-man offence. The victim’s family is deprived of justice. We will intensify the agitation and would not leave protests on the streets,” said Dr Chandra.S