Kolkata – The West Bengal government will appeal the life sentence handed down to Sanjay Roy, the sole accused in the rape and murder of a female doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital last August. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced the state's intention to seek the death penalty in a statement released Monday morning.

Banerjee expressed deep shock at the special court's judgment, stating that the crime warranted capital punishment. She argued that the case met the criteria for the "rarest of rare crimes," which she believes justifies the death sentence. The Chief Minister questioned the court's conclusion that the case did not qualify as such, emphasizing the state's recent success in securing capital punishment for similar crimes. She pointed out that in the last three to four months, the state has been able to secure capital punishment for convicts in similar crimes.

Following the sentencing, Banerjee expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict, telling reporters that she had expected the death penalty. She suggested that if the case had been handled by the state police or Kolkata Police, the sentence would have been more severe. However, she declined to comment on whether the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had mishandled the investigation.