The Sealdah Civil and Criminal Court on Saturday found Sanjay Roy guilty in the high-profile case involving the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Justice Anirban Das delivered the verdict, with the quantum of punishment set to be announced on Monday, January 20.
The court framed charges under Sections 64, 66, and 103/1 of the Bengal Nursing Service (BNS) Act against Roy. According to the court, the accused entered the hospital’s seminar room, assaulted the doctor while she was resting, and subsequently murdered her.
Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer at the hospital, pleaded his innocence, claiming he was falsely implicated. “I have not done this. Those who are guilty have been let go. I always wear a rudraksh chain around my neck, which would have broken if I had committed the crime. I cannot commit this act,” he told the court.
However, Justice Das ordered Roy to judicial custody and scheduled the sentencing hearing for Monday at 12:30 PM. “You will be heard on Monday, and your punishment will be announced then,” the judge said.
The crime, which occurred on August 9 when the trainee doctor’s body was discovered in the hospital’s seminar room, led to widespread protests across Kolkata. Sanjay Roy was arrested shortly after the incident, and the case became a focal point for demands for justice and institutional accountability.
In a parallel investigation, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a chargesheet last November related to financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College. The chargesheet named several individuals, including Sandip Ghosh, Dr. Ashish Kumar Pandey, Biplab Singha, Suman Hazra, and Afsar Ali Khan.
While these charges were unrelated to the murder, Sandip Ghosh was also questioned in connection with the trainee doctor’s case. The CBI conducted polygraph tests on him as part of their probe. However, delays in filing the chargesheet allowed some of the accused, including Ghosh and Abhijit Mondal, to secure bail.
The father of the deceased doctor expressed his resolve to continue seeking justice. Speaking to ANI, he said, “We will feel some relief when the accused are punished. Until justice is served, we will keep knocking on the doors of the court and seek the support of the people.”
The grieving father also alleged negligence on the part of the CBI. “The CBI has done nothing in this matter. We raised questions before the High Court and Supreme Court, seeking answers from the judiciary. The court entrusted the CBI with this responsibility, but they have not delivered,” he added.
The case has raised serious concerns about safety in public institutions, delays in justice, and accountability in handling high-profile investigations. With the sentencing just days away, all eyes are on the Sealdah court for its final ruling in this tragic and controversial case.
