On January 21, 2025, the West Bengal government filed an appeal in the Calcutta High Court, seeking the death penalty for Sanjay Roy, who was convicted of the rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Previously, the Sealdah Court had sentenced Roy to life imprisonment until death, rejecting the death penalty on the grounds that the case did not qualify as the “rarest of the rare.”
The crime, which occurred in August 2024, sparked nationwide protests and demands for enhanced security measures in public hospitals.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed dissatisfaction with the life sentence, asserting that the case warranted capital punishment.
The Calcutta High Court has granted the state permission to file the appeal, and proceedings are expected to commence soon.
