Kolkata, Jan 20: A special court in Kolkata, on Monday, sentenced Sanjay Roy, the sole accused in the case of ghastly rape and murder of a woman doctor of state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, to life imprisonment.

While pronouncing the quantum of sentence, the judge of the special court, Anirban Das, also made it clear that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)’s contention that Roy’s offence in the matter was “the rarest and rare crimes” was not tenable.

Hence, the judge observed that instead of the “death penalty”, Roy, an erstwhile civic volunteer attached to Kolkata Police, be sentenced to “life imprisonment”.

Apart from that a financial penalty of Rs 50,000 has also been imposed on Roy.

The judge of the special court, at the same time, directed the West Bengal government to pay a compensation of Rs 17 lakh to the family of the victim.

The judge observed that the since the victim was raped and murdered at her workplace, which is a state-government entity, legally the state government has to pay compensation to the victim’s family.

The detailed order copy will be uploaded soon following which the other details of the order of the special court will be available.

On January 18, Roy was convicted under Section 64 (punishment for rape), Section 66 (punishment for causing death or resulting in a persistent vegetative state of a victim) and Section 103(I) (punishment for murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

On the compensation issue, the victim’s parents argued that they have never sought money as compensation for the ghastly end of their daughter.

The judge explained to them that while he was aware that they had not sought compensation, as per legal provisions he had ordered the state government to pay the compensation.

“Now how you will utilize the money is entirely up to you,” the judge of the special court said.

The body of the victim doctor was recovered from the seminar hall within R.G. Kar premises on the morning of August 9 last year. The initial investigation into the matter was started by a special investigation team of Kolkata Police, who arrested Roy. However, the CBI started an investigation five days from the date of the crime following an order of the Calcutta High Court and thereafter Roy was handed over to the central agency officials by the city police.

The trial process in the matter started on November 11 last year, 59 days after the body of the victim was discovered in the seminar hall within the R.G. Kar premises.

The conviction process was completed on January 18. The sentence was pronounced at 2.45 p.m. on Monday exactly 164 days from the date of crime.

While the conviction in the crime of “rape and murder crime” is over, the angle in the tampering of evidence in the matter is still alive. The CBI, sources said, had already informed the special court that the scope for filing a supplementary charge sheet on the “tampering of evidence” angle is still open, which keeps the case open.

Last year the former and controversial principal of R.G. Kar Sandip Ghosh and the former SHO of Tala Police Station Abhijit Mondal were granted “default bail” by the same special court, as CBI failed to file the supplementary charge sheet against the duo within 90 days of their arrest.

Both Ghosh and Mondal were accused of misleading the investigation and tampering with the evidence while the initial investigation in the matter was being carried out by Kolkata Police before the CBI took charge of the investigation following an order of the Calcutta High Court.

Vijayapura (Karnataka), Jan 20: In a shocking incident, three labourers in Karnataka’s Vijayapura district were brutally thrashed by their employer for returning late to work after festival celebrations, said officials on Monday.

A video showing the labourers being assaulted with iron pipes by three men went viral in the state, raising widespread concern.

According to the police, the incident occurred at a brick factory near Star Chowk in the Gandhinagar locality on the outskirts of Vijayapura city.

The victims have been identified as Sadashiva Madar, S. Babaladi, and Umesh, who are from Chakkaliki village in the state’s Bagalkot district. Preliminary investigations revealed that the owner of the brick factory, Khemu Rathod, had the labourers punished inhumanely for a trivial reason.

Vijayapura Superintendent of Police (SP) Laxman B. Nimbargi stated to the media that legal action would be taken against Khemu Rathod and others involved in the incident.

Police sources revealed that the labourers had taken an advance payment from the accused owner, Khemu Rathod, after agreeing to work in his brick factory. They had gone to their native village to celebrate the Sankranti festival but returned four days late.

The delay enraged Khemu Rathod, who verbally abused them first and questioned their being late. Despite the victims’ assurances that they would complete the pending work, the accused became furious. He got all three labourers tied with ropes and then assaulted them inhumanely.

The video shows the three labourers with their hands and legs tied, made to sit with their legs stretched out. While one of the accused’s associates holds a victim’s hair and stands on their knees, another is seen beating the victim’s feet with an iron pipe with full force. All three victims are seen being punished in the same manner, screaming and wailing in pain as they endure the assault.

The police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the matter.

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 20: A local court in Thiruvananthapuram sentenced 24-year-old Greeshma to death by hanging for murdering her lover, Sharon Raj, by poisoning him with a toxic chemical mixed into ayurvedic medicine on October 14, 2022.

While the sentence was being pronounced, Greeshma remained motionless, but Sharon’s parents, present in the courtroom, broke down in tears.

The court remarked that the crime was heinous, and the convict deserved no leniency. Although there were no eyewitnesses in the case, the court praised the police investigation team for conducting a flawless probe.

The court had invited Sharon’s parents to witness the sentencing, highlighting the emotional gravity of the case.

The case also involved Greeshma’s uncle, Nirmal Kumar, who was sentenced to three years in prison. However, Greeshma’s mother, the second accused, was acquitted.

Sharon succumbed to poisoning after battling for life for 11 days, passing away on October 25, 2022.

The tragic relationship between Greeshma and Sharon initially started as a close friendship but deteriorated after Greeshma became engaged to another man.

Evidence presented in court revealed that Greeshma sought to end her relationship with Sharon, motivated by an astrological prediction claiming her first husband would die, allowing her to have a peaceful second marriage.

WhatsApp messages between the two showed Greeshma’s belief in this prediction, which Sharon reportedly attempted to challenge and disproved. Relatives claim Sharon had symbolically married Greeshma at Vettukadu Church and even applied ‘sindoor’ on her forehead.

Sharon’s family accused the Parasala Police of initially attempting to derail the investigation, despite their insistence that the murder was premeditated.

The case took a dramatic turn when Greeshma attempted suicide by consuming disinfectant while in police custody. The attempt, made just before evidence collection, was thwarted by police intervention, saving her life. A separate case was filed against her for this suicide attempt.

During the trial, despite the substantial evidence presented by the police, Greeshma continued to deny any wrongdoing. The case garnered widespread public attention, with many awaiting the verdict as a test of justice in a deeply tragic story.