Medical Fraternity Demands Harshest Punishment for RK Kar Accused Sanjay Roy

Medicos protest against the rape and murder of a post-graduate tranee doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital.
Hyderabad: Sanjay Roy, the accused in the RG Kar incident, was declared guilty by a session's court in Kolkata on Saturday. In response, junior doctors and members of the medical community are demanding the harshest possible sentence for Roy, along with the prosecution of RG Kar's principal, Sandeep Ghosh, who is accused of tampering with evidence and is currently out on bail.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Anirban Das delivered the verdict after a 57-day in-camera trial. Following the conviction, Roy claimed he was being framed, to which the court responded that it would hear him before deciding on his sentence. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for Monday, January 20.
“We welcome the Saeldah court’s judgement but the principal is still out on bail after being alleged to have manipulated the evidence due to CBI’s failure to file chargesheet in time. We are expecting harshest punishment for Roy, to be hanged till death,” said Abhisheik Dey, TJUDA member from Mahabubnagar.
The 31-year-old resident doctor was found dead on August 9, 2024, in a seminar hall at the hospital. An autopsy confirmed the cause of death as rape and murder. The incident sparked nationwide outrage, with doctors across the country going on strike, demanding stricter laws and better protection for medical professionals.
Roy, a civic volunteer with the Kolkata Police, was arrested on August 10, 2024, a day after the incident. The investigation was later handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the Calcutta High Court.
The trial, which began on November 12, 2024, saw the CBI charging Roy with rape and murder. The CBI requested the death penalty for Roy, and the trial concluded on January 9, 2025.
Meanwhile, former RG Kar principal Sandeep Ghosh and police officer Abhijeet Mondal were arrested by the CBI for attempting to destroy evidence. However, both were granted default bail after the CBI failed to file charges within the 90-day deadline. Ghosh is still in jail for his involvement in alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar College and Hospital.
“I firmly believe that justice has not been served in this case. I saw an article today claiming that the verdict marks a crucial first step towards justice, but I strongly disagree. In my opinion, the convict has been made a scapegoat, taking the fall to protect more influential individuals whose involvement was clearly evident right at the outset,” said Sri Harsha, final year student at Gandhi Medical College.
"This case seems to involve a larger, untouchable network, going beyond the principal, IPS or Police Commissioner and it will likely end here. I fear for the girl's family, as once the case closes, no one will protect them after they’ve taken on such influential people," he added.
The Supreme Court also initiated a suo motu case, focusing on workplace safety for medical professionals and ordered the formation of a National Task Force (NTF) to address the broader issues of safety, dignity, and violence against doctors. The NTF submitted its report in November 2024, which is currently being reviewed by various states.
“What justice could be served with such little evidence? Was the involvement of the political forces brought to trial? The injuries on the girl’s body clearly indicate involvement of multiple people so how can only one person be guilty? Punishing this one guy does not mean justice delivered,” said Dr S Shantha Kumari, treasurer of International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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