RG Kar rape-murder case: high stakes in RG Kar rape-murder case: accused faces death penalty

Calcutta: the long awaited RG Kar rape and murder trial is scheduled to begin in a Sealdah sessions court Monday with the filing of charges against the main suspect Sanja Roy.
CBIwho is in charge of the investigation, Roy had filed a complaint 28 days ago. The other two have been arrested in connection with the August 9 rape and murder of the junior doctor – former director of RG Kar Sandip Gosh and former Tala OC Abhijit Mandal – was charged with wiping out evidence and conspiracy. They have not yet been charged.
A court in Sealdah had previously ordered the charges to be filed on November 4 and ordered a closed-door trial for four days a week from November 5.
Roy had been charged under BNS sections relating to rape and murder. If proven, the charges could lead to the death penalty.
In the charge sheet filed on October 7, the CBI claimed that Roy’s involvement was “clearly established” in the “commission of an offence”. It raised eleven points based on oral and documentary evidence, forensic reports and evidence against Roy. Camera images showed that Roy was present on the third floor during the intervening night of August 8 to 9. The call records on his cellphone also confirmed his presence on that floor. Roy’s lawyers have indicated they will contest the charges.
The evidence against Roy is considerable: the police, who had previously been in charge of the case, had recovered Roy’s jeans and shoes, which had the victim’s bloodstains on them. DNA samples found on the victim’s body also matched Roy’s. Furthermore, it was determined that Roy was injured between the midnight of August 8 and noon on August 9 – the same time the crime had occurred. A Bluetooth device found at the scene was also linked to Roy’s cell phone.
While the CBI did not provide details of the allegations against Ghosh and Mandal, the agency alleged that “acts or omissions” on the part of Ghosh and Mandal attempted to “hush up the matter”. It also accused them of trying to destroy evidence. Citing their role in the “larger conspiracy” and possible involvement of others, CBI alleged that they may have been involved in the crime or in abetment to murder.