Life in jail for Indian man convicted of doctor's rape and murder

An Indian court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for raping and murdering a junior doctor. The case has sparked widespread outrage and protests across the country.

The judge rejected demands for the death penalty for the defendant, but stated that Sanjay Roy, a volunteer at a hospital in Kolkata, who was found guilty over the weekend, will spend the rest of his life in prison. Roy maintains his innocence and is expected to appeal to a higher court.

The victim's family expressed their desire for Roy to be hanged and were "shocked" by the verdict. The victim's father told AFP, "We will continue to fight and won't let the investigation stop... We will fight for justice no matter what." Indian law prohibits the disclosure of the identities of sexual assault victims and their families.

Following the sentencing, dozens of doctors protested outside the court, expressing their dissatisfaction with the investigation and the verdict. The murder of the intern last August at a public hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal, had shocked the nation. The 31-year-old doctor was sleeping in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital after finishing her night shift when her half-naked, badly injured body was later discovered by a colleague near the podium. An autopsy revealed that the woman had been strangled and had marks on her body indicating she had struggled.

The crime triggered widespread protests and concerns about the safety of medical workers in India, particularly women. In Kolkata, doctors went on strike for weeks, demanding action against the accused as well as officials they believed colluded to delay or obstruct the investigation. Roy was arrested a day after the incident. According to a charge sheet submitted by federal investigators (which the BBC has reviewed), Roy went to the hospital intoxicated and found the female doctor sleeping alone.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), India's premier crime agency responsible for investigating the case, had requested the death penalty for Roy. However, on Monday, the judge disagreed, stating that he had considered all the evidence and did not believe the crime was in the "rarest of rare" category. Before announcing the verdict, the judge also gave Roy the opportunity to speak in court. He claimed he was innocent and had been "falsely implicated" in the case. Without naming names, Roy claimed that there were "others involved in the crime." The judge dismissed Roy's claims, stating that the court had found him guilty on all charges.

Several politicians and social media users have criticized the verdict. The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, stated that she was not satisfied with the court's decision. "We want justice. Such criminals should be hanged," she told reporters.