The anti-corruption branch of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday arrested former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Ghosh, in connection with alleged financial irregularities in the medical establishment during his tenure.
Ghosh was questioned for the 15th day at the agency’s Salt Lake office over the alleged rape and murder of the RG Kar hospital post-graduate trainee on August 9. After a day-long questioning by the special crime branch, anti-corruption unit picked Ghosh in the evening and left for Nizam Palace office.
The CBI’s Special Crime Branch is probing rape and murder case while the anti-corruption wing is now questioning Ghosh in financial irregularities case.
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.
Ghosh, who 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, has subsequently been asked to go on an indefinite leave in the wake of massive protests and pending the corruption inquiry.
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Bengal People Were Waiting For Sandip’s Arrest: BJP
Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar said people of the state were waiting for Ghosh’s arrest.
“The Arrest was expected. I always said that if not in rape-murder then he would be arrested in corruption case,” the BJP leader said.
Trinamool Congress leader Santanu Sen, who had criticised Sandip Ghosh and the affairs of the state’s health department after the doctor’s murder, feels vindicated after the arrest of former principal of RG Kar Hospital.
“Justice served by God. It has been proven that I didn’t say anything wrong. I had shared all information about this corruption at the right place long ago,” he posted on Facebook.
TMC leader Kunal Ghosh, who was recently removed from the TMC’s state general secretary post, said had the health department taken action against Ghosh, the party would not have faced such embarrassment.
“CBI has arrested him that’s what is there. It’s regarding financial irregularities. Some allegations were there, if properly Health Department would have taken step then we should not have faced embarrassment,” he said.
Charges Against Sandip Ghosh
The CBI had earlier named Sandip Ghosh, former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, in the FIR the agency has filed in connection with its probe into the alleged financial irregularities at the institution during his tenure.
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.
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 order was issued on a petition by former deputy superintendent of RG Kar Hospital, Akhtar Ali, who requested a probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into alleged financial misconduct at the institution.
Ali had moved the high court after fervent speculations in the public domain on whether the alleged rampant corruption at the institution was in any way connected to the medic’s death with possibilities of the victim remaining privy to those and threatening exposure.
Ali had also alleged that his complaints before the state vigilance commission and anti-corruption bureau filed a year ago against Ghosh yielded little results and, instead, led to his own transfer from the institution.
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.
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. He held his position at the hospital till the day the doctor was found murdered.
(With PTI inputs)
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