Ex-RG Kar principal Sandip Ghosh, 4 aides sent to judicial custody till September 23

Mangalore Today News Network

Kolkata, september 10, 2024: A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Tuesday sent former principal of Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Ghosh and his four aides to judicial custody till September 23 in a case linked with alleged financial irregularities.

The anti-corruption branch of the central agency arrested Ghosh and his aides last week in connection with alleged financial irregularities in the medical establishment during his tenure as the principal of RG Kar institute.

Afsar Ali Khan, “personal bouncer” of Ghosh, and two vendors who used to supply materials to the hospital– Biplav Singha and Suman Hazara– were also arrested by the CBI.

The CBI’s Special Crime Branch is probing the case of rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital which took place on August 9. He body was found in the seminar room on the fourth floor of the medical facility.

Meanwhile, the anti-corruption wing is questioning Ghosh in financial irregularities case.

Charges against Ghosh

The hospital’s former deputy superintendent Dr Akhtar Ali had lodged complaints of financial irregularities on multiple counts at the establishment during Ghosh’s tenure as principal.

In his plea before the high court, Ali accused Ghosh of illegal sale of unclaimed corpses, trafficking of biomedical waste and passing tenders against the commission paid by medicine and medical equipment suppliers. Ali also alleged that students were pressured to pay amounts ranging between Rs 5 and 8 lakh to pass exams.

The CBI had earlier named Ghosh in the FIR the agency has filed in connection with its probe. The FIR was lodged after the CBI took over the probe from a state-constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) following directions of the Calcutta High Court which the West Bengal government had initially formed following the alleged rape and murder of a woman medic on August 9.

The agency has slapped Section 120B of IPC (criminal conspiracy) read with Section 420 IPC (cheating and dishonesty) and Section 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (amended in 2018) which covers unlawful acceptance of gratification by a public servant.

Ghosh served as principal of RG Kar Hospital from February 2021 to September 2023. He was transferred from the medical establishment in October that year but inexplicably returned to that position within a month.

Ghosh was removed from his chair at RG Kar Hospital after the crime came to light and reinstated in the same position at the Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital within hours by the Mamata Banerjee government. Later, he was asked to go on an indefinite leave in the wake of massive protests and pending the corruption inquiry.