Sanjay Roy, who has been convicted in the rape-murder case of a 34-year-old doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, reiterated in court this afternoon that he was innocent and had been framed in the chilling case that shook the nation.
The court will pronounce the sentence in the case today. Judge Anirban Das convicted Roy on Saturday and said he would hear him out before delivering the verdict today. He has said the minimum sentence Roy would receive life imprisonment and the maximum could be the death penalty.
Addressing the court today, Roy said, "I haven't done this. I have been framed. Lots of things were destroyed, but if I had done it then my rudraksha mala would have broken. You decide whether I have been framed or not."
The judge replied that he has to deliver justice. "I decide on the basis of the evidence before me. I have heard you as well for three hours. Your lawyer has argued your case. The charges has been proved. Now I want to know your views on the punishment," he said.
The CBI, which took over the investigation from Kolkata Police, has demanded death penalty for Roy, who worked as a civic volunteer and frequented the hospital. Counsel representing the CBI and the victim's parents have said this was a "rarest of rare cases" and said Roy must be sentenced to death. Roy's lawyer cited Supreme Court guidelines on awarding death penalty. The judge then asked the counsel to list down the guidelines so that he could take a look at it. The court will now assemble at 2.45 pm to announce the sentence.
The court premises in Sealdah have been turned into a fortress as police go all out to prevent any untoward incident after that sentencing. Despite being denied permission, doctors and others have gathered near the court. The protesters are alleging that Roy alone could not have committed the crime and that the others should not escape justice.
The victim's parents have said they are not satisfied with the CBI's investigation. They have alleged that "other perpetrators involved in the crime had not been brought to justice". “Only one person is not involved in the crime, yet the CBI has failed to apprehend the others. Such criminals have no right to live if we are to prevent future crimes in society,” her mother has said.
The 34-year-old doctor, a postgraduate trainee at the hospital, was on night shift on the day of incident. The next morning, she was found dead in a seminar room of the hospital. The incident sparked nationwide protests, with doctors suspending work for days to demand safety at work.
