Calcutta HC to Review CBI's Death Penalty Request for R.G. Kar Case on January 27
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Synopsis
On January 27, the Calcutta High Court will examine a CBI plea for the death penalty for Sanjay Roy, convicted in the R.G. Kar rape and murder case. This hearing coincides with a similar appeal from the West Bengal government, raising questions about legal standing in the case.
Key Takeaways
- Calcutta High Court to hear CBI's plea.
- Request for death penalty for Sanjay Roy.
- West Bengal government also appealing.
- Initial investigation by Kolkata Police handed to CBI.
- Victim's body found on August 9.
Kolkata, January 24 (NationPress) A division bench of the Calcutta High Court is set to address the petition from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) demanding the death penalty for Sanjay Roy, the only convict in the R.G. Kar rape and murder case, on January 27.
This week, the CBI contested a special court's ruling in Kolkata dated January 20, which sentenced Roy to life imprisonment. The agency's appeal was filed before the division bench comprising Justice Debangshu Basak and Justice Shabbar Rashidi, seeking the death penalty for the offender.
As indicated on the court's schedule for Monday, the case is slated for hearing by the designated division bench on that date.
Coincidentally, a concurrent appeal from the West Bengal government, also requesting the death penalty for Roy, is timed for the same day and bench. However, the state government's hearing will focus on the admissibility of its petition.
The CBI has already challenged the state’s petition, questioning the basis for the government’s involvement in the appeal.
According to the CBI's lawyer, as the investigative body overseeing the case, only the victim's parents have the standing to present such a plea in a higher court, not the state government, which is not a direct party to the case.
To recap, the victim's body was found on the morning of August 9 last year, in a seminar hall on the R.G. Kar premises, prompting an initial investigation by the Kolkata Police, which led to Roy's arrest. After five days, the Calcutta High Court transferred the investigation to the CBI.
