Kolkata doctor rape-murder case: Meet 52-year-old woman legal aid lawyer who will defend Sanjoy Roy

Kabita Sarkar, a 52-year-old lawyer, has taken on the task of defending Sanjoy Roy, the accused in the RG Kar rape-murder case. Sealdah court assigned Sarkar to the case after no other lawyer agreed to take it. 

As the State Legal Services Authority (SALSA)'s only standing lawyer in Sealdah, Sarkar will request the case papers, today, Friday, August 23, when Roy appears in court. This was stated in an exclusive report by The Times of India (TOI). 

In a statement to TOI, Sarkar said, “Like everyone, I, too, want justice for the victim. But justice, to me, is only served after a court trial, not before. Everyone in this country has a right to a fair trial, including the accused.” 

Sarkar, who has previously had to use her salary to pay bail bonds, emphasised, “The court has asked me to represent the accused. I will do that and only request that my senior, lawyer Sourav Banerjee, be allowed to accompany me when I meet the accused.”

Regarding the death penalty, Sarkar said, “I personally do not support the demand for capital punishment. For me, lifelong incarceration is the highest penal provision. I believe a person should be allowed to reflect on their crime throughout their life. Also, we must remember that the law presumes innocence until proven guilty.”

Furthermore, a law graduate from Hooghly Mohsin College, Sarkar began her legal career at Alipo court handling civil cases before transitioning to criminal law as a SALSA lawyer in February 2023. 

She was assigned to the Sealdah court in June 2023. Sarkar stated, “This is the most high-profile case I have handled. My first priority will be reviewing the case papers and filing a bail plea. I plan to oppose the CBI’s appeal for online production of the accused and ensure we have access to the case documents.”