In a significant move, the Calcutta High Court has announced that it will hear arguments from the CBI, the victim’s family, and the convict before making a decision on the West Bengal government’s appeal in the RG Kar hospital rape-murder case. The state government has appealed against what it considers an insufficient sentence handed down by the Sealdah court.
On a grim day in August, an on-duty doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital was brutally raped and murdered, leading to widespread shock and outrage. The court subsequently sentenced the accused, identified only as Roy, to life imprisonment until death. However, the West Bengal government has challenged the adequacy of this sentence, prompting a legal reassessment.
The appeal is set for a hearing on Monday, with a division bench led by Justice Debangshu Basak presiding. This decision underscores the complex legal dynamics often involved in criminal cases, particularly those attracting public and media attention.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which opposed the state’s right to file this appeal, argues that as the prosecuting agency, it alone has the right to appeal on the basis of sentence inadequacy. This introduces an additional layer of legal debate over procedural rights and the proper channels through which appeals should be made.
