Kolkata, April 9 – A division bench of the Calcutta High Court granted fresh permission to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to further investigate Sanjay Roy, the sole convict in the R.G. Kar rape and murder case, as part of the CBI's ongoing investigation into the larger conspiracy behind the crime.
The division bench, comprising Justices Rajasekhar Mantha and Rai Chattopadhyay, stated that, prima facie, it appeared that the sole convict, who is also a former civic volunteer of the Kolkata Police, was aware of several aspects of the case. Therefore, the CBI officials investigating the matter could conduct a fresh round of questioning.
The division bench also noted that, besides Roy, the CBI officers could question any other suspect in the matter.
The division bench also advised the CBI to utilize all modern technology possible to uncover the truth behind the larger conspiracy behind the crime.
Since the family members of the woman trainee doctor at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, who became a victim of rape and murder within the hospital premises in August 2024, had already submitted their DNA profiling reports as well as audio clips of certain conversations to the court, the division bench directed the CBI to include these two items as part of the central agency's investigation and also submit a report to the court in the matter.
The next date for hearing in the matter has been fixed on May 12.
The division bench also asked why the West Bengal government had been objecting to the plea from the victim's family members to visit the "crime scene," when the CBI, as the investigating agency in the matter, had no objection to that.
The division bench said that since the state government was no longer a party in the case, it had no business to raise any objection in the matter.
The bench also noted that the two petitions in the court, first by the CBI pleading for a death sentence for Sanjay Roy, who is currently serving a life term, and the second by the convict for honourable acquittal, should be heard in a parallel manner.