RG Kar convict Sanjay Roy pleads innocence before sentencing: ‘They made me sign….’
Roy was produced in the court for sentencing after being convicted of the crime on Saturday.
Sanjay Roy, the convict in the rape and murder case pertaining to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital of West Bengal's Kolkata, pleaded his innocence before the court ahead of his sentencing on Monday, saying that he was made to sign documents.
"I told you the previous day the charges you were convicted against and the charges that have been proven against you, " the judge told the accused Sanjay Roy, ANI reported.
Roy told the judge that he was tortured and made to sign documents by force.
"I have not done anything, neither rape nor murder. I am being falsely implicated. You have seen everything. I am innocent. I already told you that I was tortured. They made me sign whatever they wanted...," he told the judge.
He was convicted by Judge Anirban Das of the Additional District and Sessions Court under Sections 64, 66, and 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) on Saturday.
During the proceedings, the CBI lawyer pleaded for the highest penalty for the convict. The court will pronounce the quantum of punishment at 2:45 pm on Monday.
"We pray for the highest penalty to maintain people's faith in society," the agency's counsel told the court.
The RG Kar rape and murder: The case that shook India
The case, which involved the brutal rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor on August 9, 2024, triggered nationwide outrage and protests.
Kolkata Police's initial investigation drew criticism for alleged lapses, leading the Calcutta High Court to transfer the case to the CBI.
The in-camera trial, which commenced on November 12, recorded the testimonies of 50 witnesses and concluded on January 9.
The judge observed that the CBI had successfully proven all charges against Roy, who maintained his innocence throughout and claimed he had been framed.
The parents of the victim expressed their satisfaction after the guilty verdict but have maintained that more than one person was involved in the crime. They hoped that other accused would also be tried before the court.
The ruling Trinamool Congress welcomed the judgement, saying that it proved that Kolkata Police did their job during the investigation. The opposition has accused the Mamata Banerjee government of shielding influential people in the case.