New Delhi, Jan 20: Former National Commission for Women chief and Rajya Sabha MP, Rekha Sharma on Monday strongly criticised the West Bengal government, accusing it of complicity in the horrific rape and murder of an on-duty doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The case involved Sanjay Roy, who was granted life imprisonment for the brutal crime, by a court on Monday.

Speaking to IANS, Sharma boldly claimed, "I firmly believe that the Mamata government was completely involved in this case. Had they not been, the outcome would have been entirely different."

Sharma expressed her outrage over the handling of the case by the state authorities, stating, "A tragedy of such magnitude occurred in her state, and then the public had to protest because the police were compromised. They failed to act, and initially, they tried to sweep everything under the rug."

"It’s clear to me that the Mamata government had a hand in this, and the entire case was mishandled. If they hadn’t been involved, if the evidence hadn’t been destroyed or covered up, this case would have taken a completely different course," she claimed.

She also voiced her displeasure with the verdict, expressing disbelief at the decision to grant life imprisonment instead of the death penalty.

"This is the first time I’ve heard of a person receiving life imprisonment in a rarest of rare case. This man committed a heinous crime, with the entire nation watching, and yet he’s being spared. I cannot accept this. A death sentence should have been handed down.

"If we don’t enforce such strong punishments, what’s the point of saying we have a justice system? This was not just murder; it was rape and murder, and the punishment should have been equally severe."

Sharma also questioned the involvement of others in the case, hinting at possible cover-ups.

"Those who were allegedly involved in financial fraud should also be thoroughly investigated. Were they only guilty of fraud, or was there more to their involvement? If they were complicit in other crimes like rape and murder, they too deserve the death penalty."

Calling for a thorough review, Sharma insisted that the investigation had significant flaws.

"Such criminals often evade justice because of gaps in the investigation. The charge sheet wasn’t filed properly, and even when it was, it lacked completeness. I believe there were deficiencies in the judicial process that allowed this to happen. If the investigation had been conducted properly, the result would have been different. The family is also convinced that this was not the work of just one person. There are others involved, and the West Bengal government, it seems, managed to protect them," she said.

Sharma concluded by demanding a reinvestigation into the matter, stating that justice had not been fully served.

"If the court’s decision is to stand, it should at least appeal for a reinvestigation. The family deserves answers, and so does the public," she concluded.

Sanjay Roy, convicted of raping and murdering an on-duty doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, has been sentenced to life in jail.

The Sealdah court on Monday awarded life sentence to Sanjay Roy, for the rape and murder of a doctor in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The court also ordered Roy to pay Rs 50,000 as fine and directed the state of West Bengal to pay Rs 17,00,000 as compensation — Rs 10,00,000 for death and Rs 7,00,000 for rape on duty — to the victim’s family. (IANS)

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