The Calcutta High Court has asked the West Bengal government to respond to serious allegations about a threat culture in state-run medical colleges and hospitals.
This directive follows a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a doctor and a social worker, who reported instances of bribery, corruption, sexual harassment, and abuse among medical students and junior doctors.
Observing that allegations of a threat nexus in medical colleges in West Bengal are serious if even one or more of these are correct, the Calcutta High Court has directed the State Government to file an affidavit responding to the accusations made in the PIL.
The petitioners alleged that they have come across multiple reports regarding the existence of a threat culture in State Government-run medical colleges and hospitals, sale of answer keys for examinations, bribery, corruption, sexual harassment and abuse of medical students and junior doctors.
The court also noted that the petitioners, a doctor and a social worker, mentioned a “north Bengal lobby”, which according to them exerts pressure for transfers and promotions.
Noting that several serious allegations had been made in the public interest litigation (PIL), the Division Bench presided by Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam observed: “If any one or more are found to be correct, the matter is a very serious issue.” The court then fixed the matter for further hearing on November 21. The bench, also comprising Justice Bivas Pattanayak, directed the National Medical Commission and the West Bengal Medical Council, who are respondents in the PIL, to give their inputs in the matter.
The petitioners prayed for a direction for the conduct of a probe into the alleged threat nexus syndicate by constituting a special investigation team (SIT) to be led by a former judge of this court. The petitioners also gave to the court names of some persons who, according to them, are the nexus leaders and claimed that the Government has transferred some of them to other hospitals and certain other persons have been placed under suspension.
The petitioners have requested an investigation into the alleged threat nexus by a special investigation team (SIT) led by a former judge of the court.
They have also sought the preservation of all records, including electronic records, kept at the medical colleges and hospitals.