West Bengal Government Challenges Life Sentence in RG Kar Case

The West Bengal government has challenged a trial court’s life imprisonment verdict for Sanjay Roy in the RG Kar case, seeking a death penalty instead. Dissatisfaction with the initial sentence was expressed by CM Mamata Banerjee, while the victim's family also rejected compensation, indicating a desire for justice.

The West Bengal government has appealed against the life imprisonment verdict handed down by the trial court in the notorious RG Kar case, which convicted Sanjay Roy. Advocate General Kishore Dutta has approached the Calcutta High Court's Division Bench of Justice Debangshu Basak to seek a harsher punishment - the death penalty.

On Monday, the Sealdah Civil and Criminal Court sentenced the accused to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 in the RG Kar rape and murder case. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed deep dissatisfaction with the court's decision, stating that had the Kolkata Police been involved from the beginning, the case would have warranted a death penalty.

Banerjee's remarks came as RG Kar's victim's father rejected a Rs 17 lakh compensation offer, determined to seek the death penalty in a higher court. He voiced distrust in the CBI's investigation and claimed more suffering was inflicted by local authorities than by the crime itself. The next court hearing is slated for 27th January.

(With inputs from agencies.)