New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee voiced her disappointment on Monday over the Kolkata court’s verdict sentencing convict Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment until death in the RG Kar rape and murder case. In her first reaction after the Sealdah court’s announcement, Banerjee said, “I am not satisfied… All of us demanded the death sentence, but the court gave life imprisonment.”
Mamata raises questions over CBI probe
Banerjee pointed out that the probe was “forcibly” taken away from the Kolkata Police. She contended that had they handled it, they would have ensured a death penalty for the accused. Talking to reporters in Murshidabad district, Banerjee raised questions about the CBI’s investigation into the case.
She underlined that all of us had demanded a death sentence, but the court gave a life term until death. “The case was forcibly taken from us. Had it been with the (Kolkata) police, we would have ensured that he was served a death sentence,” the CM added. Banerjee said, “We don’t know how the investigation was carried out. In many similar cases that were investigated by the state police, the death penalty was ensured. I am not satisfied (with the verdict).”
The Sealdah court handed Roy life imprisonment until death after he was convicted of the rape and murder of the medic at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. On Saturday, the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Anirban Das in Sealdah found Roy guilty of the crime committed against the postgraduate trainee doctor at the hospital on August 9 last year.
Earlier on Monday, the Sealdah court was fortified, with almost 500 policemen being deployed to prevent any untoward incident ahead of the sentencing.
