Calcutta HC to hear doc's family, CBI, convict before deciding on admission of state's appeal in RG Kar case

KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday said it would hear the CBI, the victim's family and the convict before deciding on the admission of an appeal filed by the West Bengal government claiming inadequacy of sentence given by a trial court in the RG Kar hospital rape-murder case. The high court said it will hear the matter on January 27.

The CBI opposed the state's right to file an appeal in the case, claiming that as it was the prosecuting agency, it had the right to prefer the appeal on the grounds of inadequacy of the sentence. The Sealdah court on Monday sentenced Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment till the end of his natural life for the rape and murder of an on-duty doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in north Kolkata on August 9, 2024.

A division bench, presided by Justice Debangshu Basak, said that it would hear the CBI, the family of the victim and the convict through their lawyers before deciding on the admission of the state government's appeal. Seeking capital punishment for Roy, the state's Advocate General Kishore Dutta stated before the court that the life sentence to the convict till the end of his natural life was inadequate.

Praying for admission of appeal by the court, he claimed that apart from the prosecuting agency, the victim's family and the convict, the state can also challenge the quantum of punishment. Dutta further stated before the division bench, also comprising Justice Md Shabbar Rashidi, that the Kolkata Police initially investigated the rape-murder case before the Calcutta High Court ordered transfer of the probe to the CBI on August 13, 2024.

Appearing for the CBI, Deputy Solicitor General Rajdeep Majumdar opposed the state's submission, maintaining that the West Bengal government does not have the right to appeal the trial court order on the ground of inadequacy. He submitted that the CBI had prayed for awarding capital punishment to Roy before the trial court.