Kolkata rape-murder case:BJP criticises life imprisonment verdict for convict as 'travesty of justice'

BJP criticizes life imprisonment sentence in RG Kar rape-murder case, calls for appeal and investigation into evidence destruction.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday (January 20, 2025) criticised the sentence of life imprisonment for the convict in the RG Kar rape-murder case by a Kolkata court as a "travesty of justice" and said justice must not only be done but also be seen to be done.

BJP's IT department head Amit Malviya, who is also his party's organisational co-incharge for West Bengal, called for appealing the judgment and for probe agencies to investigate the role of the then Kolkata Commissioner and the State's Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for allegedly destroying the evidence.

He said on X, "Life imprisonment and a 50,000-Rupee fine for Sanjoy Roy, accused in the RG Kar rape and murder case, is a travesty of justice. The verdict must be appealed." He added, "West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee must stop shielding the criminal. Agencies also need to investigate the role of the then Kolkata Commissioner and the Chief Minister in the destruction of evidence. Justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done."

The Kolkata court sentenced Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment till death on Monday (January 20, 2025) after he was convicted of rape and murder of an on-duty doctor at the State-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

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The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Anirban Das in Sealdah had on Saturday (January 18, 2025) held Roy guilty of the crime committed against the post-graduate trainee doctor at the hospital on August 9, 2024, which sparked off unprecedented and prolonged nationwide protests.

Mr. Das said the crime did not fall under the "rarest of the rare" category as justification for not giving the death penalty to the convict. The CBI, a federal probe agency, had investigated the case.