Sentencing Roy to life in prison, a Kolkata court said Monday that the case didn’t meet the criteria to be classified as ‘rarest of rare’, and therefore, did not merit death penalty.

Roy was on January 18 convicted under charges which entailed a minimum sentence of life imprisonment, while the maximum could be capital punishment.

An Indian court has sentenced the man convicted of raping and murdering a female doctor at a Kolkata hospital to life in prison.

A sessions court in Kolkata will pronounce today the quantum of sentence for Sanjay Roy. Follow The Hindu’s live updates

The court found the former Kolkata Police civic volunteer guilty last Saturday. Judge Monday informed Roy he can appeal before HC against the sentencing. Roy maintains he is innocent.

Judge Anirban Das said crime did not fall under “rarest of the rare” category as justification for not giving death penalty to Sanjay Roy.

As one round of a long-drawn-out battle for justice ends, many questions about the rape-murder case, the systemic rot it exposed and the promises made lie unanswered

Sanjay Roy, found guilty of raping and murdering a doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, has been sentenced to life imprisonment. The court also ordered him to pay Rs 10 lakh to the doctor's family, a fine of Rs 50,000, and instructed the state government to give Rs 17 lakh as compensation to the family.

Sanjay Roy was on Saturday held guilty of sexually assaulting the trainee doctor and throttling her to death in August last year.

A Kolkata court sentenced Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Although demands for the death penalty were rejected, the ruling triggered protests.

The rape and murder shocked the nation, igniting protests from junior doctors in West Bengal and demands for justice and improved safety measures in government hospitals.