The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched a money laundering investigation into alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, a state-run facility in Kolkata, following the recent rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at the institution.
The ED’s case is based on an initial probe and First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The FIR names former principal Dr. Sandip Ghosh, among others, as a key suspect in the corruption case. The CBI has charged Ghosh with criminal conspiracy (Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code), cheating and dishonesty (Section 420 of the IPC), and unlawful acceptance of gratification by a public servant (Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, amended in 2018). According to a senior Calcutta High Court lawyer, the charges against Ghosh are cognizable and non-bailable.
The CBI has also registered cases against several entities, including M/s Ma Tara Traders of Madhya Jorehat, Howrah, M/s Eshan Cafe in Belgachhia, Kolkata, and M/s Khama Louha, in connection with the alleged financial misconduct at the medical college.
The FIR was filed following a complaint by Debal Kumar Ghosh, the special secretary to the state health department, after the CBI took over the investigation from a state-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT). The SIT was initially formed by the West Bengal government after the alleged rape and murder of the trainee doctor on August 9. The Calcutta High Court ordered the CBI to take over the investigation following a petition by Akhtar Ali, a former deputy superintendent of RG Kar Hospital, who requested an inquiry by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into alleged financial misconduct at the institution.
Ali’s petition came amid widespread speculation about whether the alleged corruption at the hospital was connected to the doctor’s death, suggesting the possibility that the victim might have been aware of the misconduct and could have threatened to expose it. Ali also alleged that his earlier complaints to the state vigilance commission and anti-corruption bureau about Ghosh’s conduct had not yielded results and instead led to his own transfer from the hospital.
Ali’s plea to the high court accused Dr. Ghosh of several serious offenses, including the illegal sale of unclaimed corpses, trafficking in biomedical waste, and awarding tenders in exchange for commissions from suppliers of medicines and medical equipment. He also alleged that students at the hospital were coerced into paying amounts ranging from Rs 5 to 8 lakh to pass their exams.
Dr. Ghosh, who served as the principal of RG Kar Hospital from February 2021 to September 2023, was transferred from his position in October last year but returned to the role within a month. He remained in his position until the day the trainee doctor was found murdered. Following the incident, Ghosh was removed from his role at RG Kar Hospital but was inexplicably reinstated at the Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital within hours by the Mamata Banerjee government. However, due to widespread protests by students and the ongoing corruption investigation, he has been placed on indefinite leave.
In connection with the corruption case, the CBI conducted a search operation at Ghosh’s residence in Beliaghata, Kolkata. Dr. Ghosh has been questioned for 10 consecutive days by the CBI and was subjected to a polygraph test on Monday as part of the ongoing probe into the rape and murder case. The CBI has also summoned the former superintendent of RG Kar Hospital, Sanjay Vashisth, and forensic demonstrator Debasish Som to its Nizam Palace office in Kolkata for questioning in connection with the corruption allegations.
