Sanjoy Roy, who has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of a junior doctor at R G Kar Medical College and hospital, has been approached by a private counsel to represent him in court.

This comes at a time when both the state government and CBI have moved the Calcutta High Court seeking a death sentence for Roy.

The advocate, Yash Jalan, met Roy twice at the Presidency Central Jail on January 22 and 23.

“He is not even aware that the state has filed a plea seeking a death sentence on the case. He is in solitary confinement. I have already discussed the case with him… He is yet to take a final call. I will file an appeal with the Calcutta High Court to allow me to represent him. I will work pro bono. There is a legal provision for it,” Jalan told The Indian Express.

On Monday, Additional District and Sessions judge Anirban Das sentenced Roy, a civic volunteer attached to the Kolkata police, to life imprisonment, months after the doctor was raped and murdered in the medical college on August 9.

After Roy was arrested by Kolkata police a day after the incident, no lawyers wanted to represent him at the Sealdah court, and the court assigned a lawyer from the Legal Aid Defense Council System under the State Legal Aid Services Authority.

Jalan said, “I read the judgment of the Sealdah court and it highlights many issues in the case. In my opinion, many things in the case are yet to come out in the limelight. The truth has to come out for justice to be delivered… The trial was conducted in haste and the punishment is improper.”

“If the court allows me, I will represent him in the ongoing hearing of the appeal of the state government against the Sealdah court’s judgment. I wish to also file an appeal against the conviction given by the lower court,” Jalan added.

The state on Tuesday moved the Calcutta High Court to ask for capital punishment for Roy, while the CBI filed their appeal in the court on Friday.

The matter is being heard by Justice Debangsu Basak’s Division Bench.