SC To Hear Kolkata RG Kar Medical College Rape Case Following Reinvestigation Petition

The Supreme Court will hear the Kolkata RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case on January 29. A bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) will review the matter. The court will also hear a petition filed by the victim’s parents who are dissatisfied with the CBI investigation. They have demanded a reinvestigation of the case. The petition has been filed both in the Supreme Court and the Calcutta High Court.

Sanjay Roy, convicted in the case, was sentenced to life imprisonment by Sealdah Court. The court imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on him and directed the West Bengal government to compensate the victim’s family with Rs 17 lakh. Despite the life sentence, the victim’s parents have raised concerns over the investigation’s adequacy and are seeking further action.

West Bengal Government Demands Death Penalty

While the Sealdah Court ruled life imprisonment, the West Bengal government has appealed for the death penalty. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her discontent with the sentence, stating that the government had always advocated for the death penalty. She cited the state police’s successful handling of other cases, where the death penalty was achieved through thorough investigations.

During the sentencing debate, the court addressed Sanjay Roy, who denied the charges. He claimed to be falsely implicated and said that he was tortured into signing a confession. The court, however, did not label the case as heinous and stated that the death penalty should be reserved for exceptional crimes.

The Kolkata High Court had earlier transferred the case to the CBI for further investigation. The CBI arrested former RG Kar Medical College principal Sandip Ghosh and Tala police station officer Abhijit Mandal for allegedly attempting to destroy evidence. Both individuals were later released on bail after the CBI failed to file charges within the required time frame.

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