RG Kar rape and murder case: Kolkata court declares Sanjay Roy guilty; sentencing on Jan 20

The Sealdah Civil and Criminal Court in Kolkata on Saturday found Sanjay Roy guilty in the rape and murder case of a trainee doctor from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The court will pronounce his sentence on January 20.

The verdict was based on forensic evidence, including the discovery of Roy’s DNA on the victim’s body. Despite his claims of innocence during the court proceedings on Saturday, Roy’s defence was unsuccessful. The victim’s parents were present in court during the proceedings.

A second-year postgraduate trainee doctor from the chest medicine department was discovered dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar on August 9. Initially, the Kolkata police led the investigation, arresting Roy within 24 hours.

However, the victim’s parents and junior doctors at RG Kar raised concerns about the police’s handling of the case. A video appeared to show construction work near the crime scene, while another depicted the alleged presence of several people, including outsiders, at the site after the discovery of the body.

These developments led to allegations that the police were protecting the main culprits. The victim’s parents accused Sandip Ghosh, then principal of RG Kar MCH, and local police officials of involvement. They also claimed the police pressured them into performing their daughter’s last rites hastily, under heavy security, while nationwide protests erupted demanding justice.

On August 13, the Calcutta High Court transferred the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation. Shortly after, during the “Reclaim the Night” protests, a group of miscreants allegedly vandalized the crime scene at RG Kar MCH and attacked protesting doctors. Protesters accused the police of deliberately failing to secure the area, allowing evidence tampering. Junior doctors across the state went on a complete strike.

The CBI launched a dual investigation: one into the alleged rape and murder and another into financial irregularities involving Sandip Ghosh and others. From August 20, a Supreme Court bench, then led by former Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, began hearing matters related to the RG Kar incident. The Court also formed a National Task Force to formulate an action plan for the protection of medical professionals at hospitals. 

On September 2, the CBI arrested Ghosh in connection with financial irregularities. Meanwhile, junior doctors staged indefinite protests outside Swasthya Bhavan, the West Bengal Health Department headquarters, from September 10, demanding the resignation of senior officials, including the Kolkata police commissioner and the health secretary.

On September 14, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the protest site and invited the doctors for talks, but no consensus was reached. Two days later, Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal was suspended. Following assurances from the state government after a meeting with the chief minister, junior doctors ended their protests on September 20, and the statewide strike was called off.

However, tensions reignited on September 27 after an alleged attack on nurses and doctors at the College of Medicine & Sagore Dutta Hospital. Protests escalated, and on October 5, junior doctors began an indefinite hunger strike just before Durga Puja.

On October 7, the CBI filed a chargesheet in the Sealdah court, naming Sanjoy Ray as the sole accused in the rape and murder case. Later, on October 19, CM Banerjee and Chief Secretary Manoj Pant visited the hunger strikers, requesting an end to their protest. Following another round of discussion with the chief minister, the hunger strike ended two days later. The trial against Roy began at the Sealdah court on November 11.