Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], January 21 (HBTV): The Sealdah Civil and Criminal Court has sentenced Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment in the RG Kar rape and murder case on Monday. In addition to this, the court also imposed a fine of INR 50,000 on the convict. 

During the hearing, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had sought 'capital punishment' for Sanjay Roy.

Explaining the penalties under the relevant sections, the court addressed the accused, stating, 'I told you the previous day about the charges you were convicted of and the charges that have been proven against you.'

When asked about his charges, Sanjay Roy denied his involvement, claiming that he was being 'falsely implicated.'

'I have not done anything, neither rape nor murder. I am being falsely implicated. You have seen everything. I am innocent. I already told you that I was tortured. They made me sign whatever they wanted,' Roy said.

The defense lawyer argued that even if the case was the 'rarest of rare,' there should still be room for reformation. 'Even if it is a rarest of rare case, there should be scope for reformation. The court has to show why the convict is not worth reformation or rehabilitation... The public prosecutor has to present evidence and give reasons why the person is not worth reformation and should be completely eliminated from society,' the defense lawyer said.

However, the victim's family lawyer demanded the death sentence as the maximum punishment.

'I want the death sentence as the maximum punishment,' the victim's family lawyer said.

The father of the victim also demanded the harshest punishment for the accused. 'On Saturday, the judge said that the harshest punishment would be given (to the accused). We have full faith in the judge. Our fight will continue in the courts and streets,' the father of the deceased doctor said in a statement to ANI.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stated that her government had cooperated with the investigation in the RG Kar rape and murder case and emphasized that they always wanted the victim to receive justice.

'We have cooperated with the investigation... we had demanded justice but the judiciary had to run its course, so that's why it took this much time. But we always wanted the victim to get justice,' Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said before the Sealdah Civil and Criminal Court began its hearing.

On Saturday, the Sealdah Civil and Criminal Court pronounced Sanjay Roy guilty in the RG Kar rape and murder case of a trainee doctor. The court noted that sections 64, 66, and 103/1 of BNS had been framed against the accused.

'There is a complaint against the accused that he went to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and entered the seminar room, where he assaulted and murdered the lady doctor who was resting there,' the court stated.

The case, which involves the rape and murder of a trainee doctor whose body was found on August 9 in the hospital's seminar room, sparked widespread protests. Following the incident, Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer at the hospital, was arrested in connection with the crime.

(ANI)