January 21, 2025: The Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government has moved the Calcutta High Court, seeking the death penalty for Sanjay Roy, the convict in the RG Kar Medical College rape-murder case. Roy, a former civic volunteer, was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Sessions Court on Monday, which ruled the case did not qualify as the "rarest of rare" for capital punishment.

Advocate General Kishore Dutta, representing the state, presented the plea before a division bench headed by Justice Debangshu Basak. The court has agreed to hear the matter.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed dissatisfaction with the trial court's verdict, stating that the state has no obligation to protect criminals. "When someone is a demon, can society remain human? If someone commits such a heinous crime, how can we forgive them? The judgment says it is not 'rarest of rare', but I strongly disagree. This crime was rare, sensitive, and heinous," said Ms. Banerjee.

The RG Kar case had sparked outrage across Bengal last August after an on-duty trainee doctor was found raped and murdered. Public protests and allegations of mishandling led to the case being transferred from the Kolkata Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

While sentencing Roy to life imprisonment, Judge Anirban Das acknowledged the "particularly heinous" nature of the crime but emphasized principles of reformative justice. In his 172-page judgment, he noted, "Justice must balance the sanctity of human life and resist public and emotional pressure. We must not match brutality with brutality but uphold humanity with wisdom and compassion."

However, the state government remains resolute in its stance. Ms. Banerjee highlighted her administration's previous success in securing death penalties in other cases within 60 days and lamented that the CBI's involvement delayed the resolution.

The grieving parents of the victim, refusing financial compensation of ₹17 lakh ordered by the court, reiterated their demand for justice.

Ms. Banerjee also drew attention to the state assembly's Aparajita Bill, aimed at protecting women, which is awaiting approval from the central government.

The case has reignited debates over capital punishment and the scope of judicial discretion in crimes of extreme brutality. The high court's decision on the state's plea is now awaited with keen interest.