Kolkata: Calcutta High Court on Friday had refused to accept the plea of the state government demanding death punishment of RG Kar rape and murder convict Sanjoy Roy.
The division bench of Justices Debangshu Basak and Md Shabbar Rashid of Calcutta High Court rejected the appeal stating that since CBI had probed the matter and did the conviction it is the central agencies jurisdiction to make such an appeal.
The division bench however, has accepted the appeal made by the CBI.
A session court on January 20 had given life imprisonment to Roy, following which the state government had appealed capital punishment for Roy at the High Court.
The CBI also appealed for capital punishment but raised an objection in the state's appeal mentioning that the state government cannot make such an appeal.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh said that the rejection of the state's appeal is ‘not a setback’ for the state.
“The CBI had also appealed for capital punishment. What matters the most is the punishment of the convict,” mentioned Ghosh.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha MP and spokesperson Shamik Bhattacharya added, “The state government is trying to end Roy’s life so that he doesn’t speak the truth out. Death punishment of Roy is needed but after the other culprits are identified and punished.”
Meanwhile, the parents of the victim urged everyone to hit the streets on February 9 as it is the victim’s birthday.
