Incensed at the marching orders given to her at midnight for not seeking the maximum punishment for the three convicts of Park Street gangrape case, special public prosecutor of the city sessions cour
Incensed at the marching orders given to her at midnight for not seeking the maximum punishment for the three convicts of Park Street gangrape case, special public prosecutor of the city sessions court Sarbani Roy on Saturday went on a confrontation course with the Mamata Banerjee government.
“Law minister Chandrima Bhattacharya cannot remove me from the post of the special public prosecutor because I was not appointed by the government. Since I was appointed by the governor of the state, I will step down only if the Raj Bhavan removes me,” an angry Ms Roy said.
Ms Roy earned the wrath of the state government for telling additional district and sessions judge Chiranjib Bhattacharya of the Fast Track Court II that the minimum punishment of ten years’ imprisonment should be given to the three convicts — Ruman Khan, Naser Khan and Sumit Bajaj — because they were not directly involved in the gangrape. Upset by Ms Roy’s prayer in the court, Ms Bhattacharya said the state government had not given her such an advice. “She overstepped her jurisdiction. It is the judge who will decide the quantum of punishment and as PP she had no business to seek the minimum punishment,” she said.
Reacting sharply, Ms Roy said she was under no obligation to consult the state government. “I stand by what I said in the court. My prayer for minimum punishment was based on the statement which the rape victim had given,” she added.
Slamming the administration, Ms Roy wanted to know why the prime accused Kader Khan, who had allegedly committed the rape, had been absconding. “We have information about the people who are helping them in remaining in hiding,” she added.
Not only the government, but family members of the rape victim were also extremely angry with Ms Roy.
“She was the public prosecutor and had worked hard for the conviction of the accused. How could she then request for lesser punishment for the rapists,” the victim’s father asked, adding that he would soon approach Calcutta high court seeking maximum punishments for the guilty.
