Calcutta High Court to Review RG Kar Case Convict’s Acquittal Plea

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court has scheduled a September hearing to consider an acquittal plea from Sanjoy Roy, convicted in the rape and murder case at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, alongside an appeal from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) seeking the death penalty. This follows significant legal developments in a case that has drawn widespread attention.

The hearing will address Roy’s plea, filed on July 9, 2025, and the CBI’s appeal challenging a trial court’s January 20, 2025, ruling that sentenced Roy to life imprisonment. The CBI argues for capital punishment, while Roy, represented by counsel appointed by the High Court’s legal services, claims he is not guilty. The victim’s counsel has requested to be included as a party in the proceedings.

In February 2025, the Calcutta High Court rejected a similar appeal from the West Bengal government seeking the death penalty but admitted the CBI’s plea, noting that the CBI, as the investigating agency, holds precedence. The court emphasized that since the CBI conducted the investigation, its appeal takes priority over the state’s.

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The case stems from the rape and murder of an on-duty doctor in the seminar room of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, 2024. Kolkata Police arrested Roy, a civic volunteer, the following day. The investigation was later transferred to the CBI by the Calcutta High Court due to concerns over the initial probe. The trial court’s January ruling convicted Roy under sections 64, 66, and 101(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for rape and murder, sentencing him to life imprisonment until death.

The upcoming hearing will be a critical juncture, as the court weighs Roy’s acquittal request against the CBI’s push for a harsher penalty, reflecting the case’s profound impact on public and legal discourse.