NEW DELHI, Sept 2: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday arrested the former principal of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Ghosh in connection with the alleged financial misconduct at the establishment, officials said.
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 and on the complaints of financial irregularities during his two-year tenure as the principal, which was also being investigated by the central agency along with the horrific rape and murder of the trainee doctor. He was later escorted to the CBI’s Nizam Palace office in Kolkata which houses the agency’s anti-corruption wing and was shown as arrested.
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 was asked to go on leave by the State Government after the murder of the trainee doctor came to light.
As Principal of the RG Kar Medical College, where the woman doctor’s body was discovered on the morning of August 9, the role of Sandip Ghosh has been questioned by many. Even the Supreme Court had questioned why he, the head of the institution, had not lodged a First Information Report immediately.
His transfer to another hospital hours after his resigned his post under the pressure of public opinion, had caused the second shockwave, where the role of the state government had also raised eyebrows. While coming down heavily on the government, the top court had suggested that instead of taking up the post, Sandip Ghosh go on a long leave.
The CBI, which took over the rape-murder case after an order from the Calcutta High Court, had started questioning Sandip Ghosh from August 16. Each session lasted for 10 to 14 hours. After the financial irregularities case was also handed to it by the High Court, the agency, on August 25, had conducted a search at his home. Late in the evening, asked if they have gathered any evidence, an official had said, “lots.” The former Principal has undergone two rounds of polygraph tests.
There were questions also raised whether the rape-murder of the young doctor — which had sparked massive nation-wide outrage — was linked to the alleged corruption at the hospital under the stewardship of Sandip Ghosh. Dr Akhtar Ali had accused Sandip Ghosh of illegal sale of unclaimed corpses, trafficking of biomedical waste and passing tenders against the commission paid by medicine and medical equipment suppliers. He also alleged that students were pressured to pay anything between ₹ 5 and 8 lakh to pass exams.
Sandip Ghosh has already been suspended by the Indian Medical Association. His appointment to premier Calcutta National Medical College also backfired, with the students locking him out of the Principal’s office long before the Supreme Court order.
(Manas Dasgupta)