The financial transactions at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College during the tenure of former Principal Sandip Ghosh will be scrutinized following allegations of irregularities. The West Bengal government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe these alleged financial discrepancies. The SIT, led by Inspector General of Police Dr. Pranav Kumar, is tasked with accessing relevant documents from government departments and private agencies to ensure a thorough investigation. The team is expected to submit its report within a month.
Sandip Ghosh, who has faced severe criticism following the rape-murder of a doctor on the hospital premises, is also under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The CBI is questioning him about hospital security, the handling of his resignation, the decision to declare the death a suicide prematurely, the contamination of the crime scene, and the sudden renovation of rooms near where the doctor’s body was found.
A note from the government’s Home and Hill Affairs Department Internal Security Branch stated, “The SIT will have the liberty to access any relevant document from government departments and private agencies required for expeditious completion of the inquiry.” The SIT will investigate the alleged financial irregularities from January 2021 to the present.
The decision to transfer Ghosh to the National Medical College and Hospital within hours of his resignation has drawn significant criticism from the Opposition, civil society, and the Calcutta High Court. The court questioned the appropriateness of promoting someone who failed in their duty to protect students. The judges remarked, “Even assuming the resignation was not accepted, the least that can be expected from a responsible higher official of the concerned department is to immediately relieve the Principal from his duties and not assign him any other duty of equal responsibility.”
In response to the criticism and adverse comments on social media, Ghosh resigned from his post and government service. Despite his resignation, a government order announced his transfer to the National Medical College shortly thereafter. Ghosh is currently on long leave, and the CBI is closely examining his call records and communications.