Man sentenced to life for rape and murder of Kolkata doctor that sparked nationwide protests

An Indian court on Monday sentenced a police volunteer to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of an on-duty doctor last year – a crime that sparked nationwide protests.

Sanjay Roy, 33, plans to appeal the judgment in a higher court.

Additional District and Sessions Court Judge Anirban Das, while announcing the sentence, said the crime did not fall under the “rarest of the rare” category, which justified not awarding the death penalty. Roy, however, maintained his innocence in the killing of the doctor.

“I have not done anything, neither rape nor murder. I am being falsely implicated. You have seen everything. I am innocent. I already told you that I was tortured. They made me sign whatever they wanted,” Roy told the court.

The judge responded, “I decide on the basis of the evidence before me. The charges have been proved.”

The victim’s family had sought the death penalty, but Roy’s lawyer argued against it, emphasising the possibility of rehabilitation. “The court has to show why the convict is not worth reformation or rehabilitation. The public prosecutor must present evidence justifying why the person should be completely eliminated from society.”

The killing of the 31-year-old trainee doctor, who was on duty at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, underscored India’s ongoing struggle with violence against women. The woman’s bloodied body was discovered in the hospital’s seminar hall on 9 August, and an autopsy confirmed she had been strangled and sexually assaulted.

The case, initially investigated by Kolkata police, was later handed over to the federal authorities, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), amid allegations of mishandling by state officers. Federal investigators argued that the crime warranted the death penalty, a sentiment echoed by the victim’s parents, who expressed frustration with the investigation and suspected other individuals were involved.

“Only one person is not involved in this crime, yet the CBI has failed to apprehend the others. Such criminals have no right to live if we want to prevent future crimes,” the victim’s mother told local media.

The assault triggered widespread protests across India, with doctors, medical students, and women’s rights activists demanding better security and swift justice. The incident also prompted the Supreme Court to establish a national task force to improve safety measures in government hospitals.

After the court directed the West Bengal government to pay compensation of Rs 1.7m (£16,109) to the family of the victim, they urged for stricter punishment, saying: “We don’t want compensation, we want justice.”

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee also expressed disappointment with the Kolkata court’s sentencing, saying: “I am not satisfied ... All of us demanded the death sentence, but the court gave life imprisonment.”

Lashing out at the federal probe agency that functions under the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), she said: “The case was forcibly taken from us. Had it been with the (Kolkata) police, we would have ensured that he was served a death sentence.”

“We don’t know how the probe was conducted,” she said.

Junior doctors are holding protests outside the court in Sealdah demanding capital punishment.

Despite legislative reforms following the 2012 gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student in New Delhi, crimes against women remain pervasive in India. The 2012 case galvanised nationwide protests and led to stricter sentencing laws, including the death penalty for repeat offenders and the creation of fast-track courts for rape cases. Four men convicted in that case were executed in 2020.

The 2013 legal amendments expanded the definition of sexual crimes to include stalking and voyeurism while lowering the age for adult criminal trials from 18 to 16.

However, women’s rights activists argue that harsher penalties have not effectively deterred sexual violence. Many rapes go unreported due to stigma and mistrust of law enforcement, especially in rural areas where victims often face societal shame.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau, India recorded 31,516 cases of rape in 2022 – a 20 per cent increase from the previous year. Activists attribute the rise to systemic issues rather than improved reporting.