On Tuesday, the Calcutta High Court directed Dr. Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, to take a leave of absence following the horrific rape and murder of a trainee doctor on the campus.

The Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court stated, “Dr. Sandip Ghosh, the principal of RG Kar Medical College, must go on leave immediately. If he does not comply, I will issue a formal order to that effect. Has his statement been recorded yet?”

Following his resignation from RG Kar Medical College, Dr. Ghosh was appointed as the new principal of Calcutta National Medical College (CNMC). The court has requested that the resignation letter from RG Kar and the appointment letter from CNMC be submitted by 1 pm.

The court emphasized the responsibility of the principal for overseeing all medical staff at the hospital and questioned, “If the principal cannot demonstrate empathy, who will?”

The court further instructed that Dr. Ghosh should be removed from any official duties and remain at home during this period.

The postmortem report of the trainee doctor, who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, disclosed that she suffered from severe sexual violence and genital torture. The report noted injuries on her belly, lips, fingers, and left leg. It was also reported that her nose and mouth were restrained, and her head was forcefully pushed against a wall to stifle her screams.

In response to the case, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee issued a stern warning to the Kolkata police, stating that if they do not resolve the case by Sunday, the investigation will be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).