'We demand capital punishment': IMA reacts after life sentence for Sanjay Roy in RG Kar rape-murder case

Updated: Jan 20, 2025, 6:51 PM IST

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has expressed outrage over the life imprisonment sentence handed to Sanjay Roy, the convict in the brutal rape and murder of a young doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The verdict, delivered by the Sealdah Court on Monday, has sparked widespread dissatisfaction within the medical fraternity and across the country, with IMA officials calling for a more severe punishment.

Sanjay Roy, a former civic volunteer with the Kolkata Police, was found guilty of the heinous crime committed on August 9, 2024. The victim, a postgraduate trainee doctor, was murdered while on duty at the state-run hospital, igniting nationwide protests, particularly from junior doctors in Kolkata. The crime also triggered fierce debates about the safety of medical professionals and the adequacy of judicial responses to such violent crimes.

IMA Reacts Strongly to Sentence

Vinay Aggarwal, Chairman of the IMA's Action Committee, expressed deep dissatisfaction with the life sentence, stressing the anger felt by the entire medical community. “Whole of the medical fraternity was angered by the incident. Bengal was boiling, the country was boiling. Not only the medical fraternity but the whole country is dissatisfied with not giving capital punishment to the culprit."

"Capital punishment should be given for these heinous crimes. You cannot ignore the statements of the culprit where he is saying that more people are involved in this. We demand the High Court that he should not be let aside with just life imprisonment instead of capital punishment," he added.

Piyush Jain, Finance Secretary of the IMA, also voiced concern over the verdict. “Everyone was expecting a capital punishment. The reaction from the nation and the medical community was overwhelming, and this verdict does not send the strong message needed to deter such crimes,” Jain said. He raised questions about the thoroughness of the investigation, noting that Roy had indicated that others were involved, and called for further probes into the matter.

Also read: RG Kar case TIMELINE: From Kolkata doctor's rape & murder to Sanjay Roy's life imprisonment verdict

Court’s Rationale and Public Discontent

The Sealdah Court, however, decided that the crime did not fall under the "rarest of the rare" category, which would have warranted the death penalty. Roy was sentenced to life imprisonment until death, with an additional fine of Rs 50,000. The court also directed the state government to provide Rs 17 lakh in compensation to the victim’s family.

In response, the parents of the deceased doctor expressed their shock and disappointment with the ruling. They are set to challenge the verdict in a higher court, demanding capital punishment for the convict. “How can this not be the rarest of the rare case? An on-duty doctor was raped and murdered. We are dismayed. There was a larger conspiracy behind this crime,” the victim’s mother said.

The discontent was not limited to the victim’s family. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also criticized the court’s decision, asserting that had the case been handled by the Kolkata Police, the death penalty would have been secured. She added, “All of us have demanded the death sentence, but the court has given a life term instead.”

The IMA’s call for justice was echoed by various political leaders, including BJP’s Amit Malviya and Agnimitra Paul, who demanded a review of the verdict and further investigation into possible lapses during the probe.

Malviya also called for scrutiny of the involvement of Kolkata’s then police commissioner and the chief minister, alleging the destruction of crucial 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."

The crime continues to have a profound impact on junior doctors, who were at the forefront of protests following the murder. They have called for further investigation into the larger conspiracy theory raised by the victim’s family.

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