Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, on Wednesday challenged the Calcutta High Court order transferring the corruption case against him to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
On August 23, the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the probe into the alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar hospital from a state-constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) to the CBI.
The CBI had arrested Ghosh along with three others in connection with the alleged financial irregularities at the government hospital whose administration is facing intense scrutiny after the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor there last month.
Ghosh served as principal of RG Kar Medical College from February 2021 to September 2023. He was transferred from RG Kar in October that year but inexplicably returned to that position within a month. He held his position at the hospital till the day the hospital doctor was found dead.
The officials said that the three others arrested along with Ghosh are Afsar Ali (44) – his security guard – and hospital vendors Biplav Singha (52) and Suman Hazara (46).
The doctor said that the ‘principles of natural justice’ were not applied in his case.
He also sought the expunging of ‘certain remarks’. The hearing has been set for Friday.
The direction from the Calcutta HC came in response to a petition by former deputy superintendent of the facility, Dr Akhtar Ali. Ali had urged the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to launch probes into multiple counts of alleged financial misconduct at the state-run institute during Ghosh’s tenure.
The direction from the Calcutta HC came in response to a petition by former deputy superintendent of the facility, Dr Akhtar Ali. Ali had urged the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to launch probes into multiple counts of alleged financial misconduct at the state-run institute during Ghosh’s tenure.
Ali claimed in his petition to the court that he had lodged complaints efore the state vigilance commission and anti-corruption bureau filed over a year ago against Ghosh but instead of a redressal, it led to his own transfer from RG Kar.
Ali moved the High Court amid speculations on whether the alleged rampant corruption at the institution was in any way connected to the RG Kar medic’s death, with the victim being privy to these misconduct and threatening exposure.
Sandip Ghosh’s arrest is the second major arrest at the hospital since August 9.
Earlier, a Kolkata Police civic volunteer, Sanjoy Roy, was arrested by the Kolkata Police and handed over to the central agency in connection with the medic’s alleged rape and murder.
Ali in his petition alleged that Ghosh illegally sold unclaimed corpses, trafficked biomedical waste and passed tenders against commission paid by medicine and medical equipment suppliers.
He alleged that students were pressured to pay amounts ranging between Rs.5 and 8 lakhs to pass exams.
(with inputs from PTI)
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