Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], January 20: Junior doctors staged a protest outside the Sealdah Court on Monday, demanding harsher punishment for Sanjay Roy, the convict in the RG Kar rape and murder case.
In an interview with ANI, one of the junior doctors expressed their dissatisfaction with the life imprisonment sentence, stating, “We wanted a strict and exemplary punishment. This sentence is not enough. We will approach higher courts seeking a stricter judgment.”
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also expressed her disappointment with the court’s decision. Speaking at a media interaction in Malda, she said, “We have always demanded the death penalty, and we continue to stand by it. However, this is the court’s decision, and I can’t say much about it. If this case had been under Kolkata Police, we would have ensured the death penalty long ago, just as we did in three other cases, where we secured capital punishment through thorough investigations in just 54-60 days.”
Meanwhile, Congress leader Salman Khurshid welcomed the court’s verdict, emphasizing the swift investigation and judgment. “In many cases, people wait too long for justice, leading to apathy. But in this case, the investigation was prompt, and the court’s decision was delivered quickly. This judgment is apt and should be welcomed as a message to those who commit such crimes,” Khurshid said.
However, Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict, calling for a deeper investigation. While he refrained from commenting directly on the court’s decision, he said, “The people of West Bengal do not believe that only one person was involved in the RG Kar rape and murder case. Sanjay Roy himself has claimed that others, including police officers, were involved. The investigation should go further.”
The case involves the rape and murder of a trainee doctor, whose body was discovered on August 9 in the seminar room of RG Kar Hospital.