Kolkata, India
Reuters
—
An Indian police volunteer was found guilty on Saturday of the rape and murder of a young doctor at a hospital in the eastern city of Calcutta, in a fast-track trial for a crime that sparked protests national outrage over the lack of safety for women.
The woman’s body was found on August 9 in a classroom of the RG Kar Government Medical College and Hospital. Other doctors remained off work for weeks to demand justice for her and better security in public hospitals.
Defendant Sanjay Roy said in November that he was “completely innocent” and that he was being framed. He reiterated this in court on Saturday, saying: “I didn’t do that.”
Roy’s lawyers could not immediately be reached for comment on the verdict. They had argued that there were glaring discrepancies in the investigation and forensic reports.
Justice Anirban Das said circumstantial evidence proved the charges against Roy and the sentence, which will be announced on Monday, would range from life in prison to the death penalty.
“Your guilt is proven. You are condemned,” the judge said.
The victim’s parents, who cannot be named under Indian law, expressed dissatisfaction with the investigation, saying the crime could not have been committed by a single person.
“Our daughter could not have met such a horrible end at the hands of one man,” her father said. “We will continue to suffer and suffer until all the guilty are punished. »
The Indian Federal Police, which investigated the case, called the crime “the rarest of the rare” during the trial and sought the death penalty against Roy.
Several doctors chanted slogans of solidarity with the victim in court. Dr Aniket Mahato, spokesperson for the junior doctors, said street protests would continue “until justice is done”.
More than 200 armed police were deployed in anticipation of the verdict as Roy was brought to court in a police car.
The investigation called 128 witnesses, 51 of whom were questioned during the trial, which began on November 11 and was fast-tracked to conclude quickly, according to judicial sources.
Police also accused the police officer who headed the local station at the time of the crime and the hospital director at the time of destroying the crime scene and tampering with evidence.
The police officer is released on bail while the former hospital director remains in detention in connection with another case of financial irregularities at the hospital.
