RG Kar rape case : Mamata Banerjee refuses to comment on quantum of sentence for Sanjay Roy

A CBI court in West Bengal’s Kolkata will pronounce the quantum of punishment on Monday afternoon for Sanjay Roy, who has been convicted of raping and murdering a 31-year-old duty doctor inside the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in the city.

Amid high security, Roy was taken to the court from jail around 10:30 am on Monday. The Sealdah court has been fortified, and nearly 500 policemen have been deployed to prevent any untoward incident.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee declined to comment on the quantum of sentence expected for the accused. “I had earlier demanded the death penalty, but it depends on the judge and how the case has been framed,” she said.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Anirban Das in Sealdah had on Saturday declared Roy guilty of rape and murder of the postgraduate trainee at the hospital on August 9 last year.

RG Kar rape case verdict

Sanjay Roy was found guilty of sexually assaulting the doctor and throttling her to death. He was convicted by the judge under Sections 64, 66 and 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The charges under which Roy has been convicted entail a minimum sentence of life imprisonment, while the maximum can be capital punishment.

Section 64 (rape) of the BNS entails a punishment of not less than 10 years and can go up to life term.

Section 66 (punishment for causing death or resulting in persistent vegetative state of victim) provides for punishment of not less than 20 years that may extend to imprisonment for life, which shall mean imprisonment for the remainder of that person’s natural life, or with death.

Section 103(1) (murder) of BNS provides for the death penalty or imprisonment for life to a person convicted of the crime.

On Monday, Roy’s statement will be heard at 12:30 pm, and the sentence will be pronounced thereafter.