Mamata Banerjee Reacts to RG Kar Case Verdict
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed her dissatisfaction with the verdict in the RG Kar rape and murder case, stating that the Kolkata Police would have ensured a death penalty for the convict had the case remained under their jurisdiction. Banerjee’s remarks came shortly after a city court sentenced Sanjay Roy, the accused civic volunteer, to life imprisonment in the highly publicized case.
Banerjee reiterated that from the outset, the Trinamool Congress government had pushed for the death penalty for Roy. “We demanded death penalty from Day 1. We demand it now too. But it’s the court’s order. I can share my party’s opinion. We ensured death penalty in three cases within 60 days. If the case stayed with us, we would have ensured death penalty long back. I don’t know the details,” Banerjee said.
The case, which had sparked widespread outrage, especially among the medical community, was transferred from Kolkata Police to the CBI after allegations surfaced about a possible cover-up involving state government officials. The 34-year-old doctor was found raped and murdered in a seminar hall at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, 2024, a crime that drew national protests.
The CBI took over the investigation after the Supreme Court’s intervention, but five months later, a Kolkata court sentenced Roy to life imprisonment, noting that the prosecution had failed to establish that the crime was in the ‘rarest of the rare’ category for a death penalty. The court also directed the state to provide Rs 17 lakh as financial assistance to the victim’s elderly parents, though the couple, present in court, stated they did not want compensation but justice. The judge clarified that the assistance was provided in accordance with the law and encouraged them not to view it as compensation.
Amid the controversy, Banerjee remarked that her government had always pushed for justice in the case and had even suggested that if Kolkata Police couldn’t handle it, the case should be transferred to the CBI. However, she voiced her discontent with the outcome of the case, adding that the state had wanted the death penalty.
Doctors in Kolkata, along with the victim’s parents, have continued to protest, alleging a cover-up by the state government to shield individuals close to the ruling party. While Mamata Banerjee had led a protest march for justice for the victim, she has strongly denied the allegations of any cover-up.
The protests are ongoing, and many believe that the crime was not committed by Roy alone. The case remains a flashpoint for public discontent in West Bengal as the demand for justice continue
Rajat Dalal: ‘बिग बॉस 18’ में रजत की हार, एल्विश पर लगे आरोप
