Kolkata rape-murder: CBI arrests ex-RG Kar Hospital principal Sandip Ghosh, 3 others

The CBI on Monday (September 2) arrested former RG Kar Medical College and Hospital principal Sandip Ghosh and three others in connection with the alleged financial irregularities at the facility, which is under intense scrutiny over alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor there last month.

Officials said the three others who have been arrested are Ghosh's security guard Afsar Ali (44), and hospital vendors Biplav Singha (52) and Suman Hazara (46) who used to supply material to the hospital.

Monday was the 15th day of Ghosh's questioning by the agency. From the agency's Salt Lake office, the 53-year-old was taken to the CBI's Nizam Palace office in Kolkata, which houses the agency's anti-corruption wing, and was arrested.

Second major arrest

This is the second major arrest at the hospital since August 9.

Earlier, a Kolkata Police civic volunteer, Sanjoy Roy, was arrested by the Kolkata Police and handed over to the central agency in connection with the medic's alleged rape and murder.

On August 23, the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the probe into the alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar hospital from a state-constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The direction came in response to a petition by former deputy superintendent of the facility, Dr Akhtar Ali, who prayed for a probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into multiple counts of alleged financial misconduct at the state-run institute during Gosh's tenure as its principal.

Principal for over 2 years

Ghosh served as principal of RG Kar Medical College from February 2021 to September 2023. He was transferred from RG Kar in October that year but inexplicably returned to that position within a month. He held his position at the hospital till the day the hospital doctor was found dead.

Ali had moved the High Court amid speculations on whether the alleged rampant corruption at the institution was in any way connected to the RG Kar medic's death, with the victim being privy to these misconduct and threatening exposure.

Ali had also alleged that his complaints before the state vigilance commission and anti-corruption bureau filed over a year ago against Ghosh not only yielded little result, but also led to his own transfer from the institution.

‘Illegal sale of corpses’

In his plea before the high court, Ali accused Ghosh of illegal sale of unclaimed corpses, trafficking of biomedical waste and passing tenders against commission paid by medicine and medical equipment suppliers.

Ali also alleged that students were pressured to pay amounts ranging between Rs 5 and 8 lakhs to pass exams.

The former principal was asked to go on leave by the state government after the murder of the trainee doctor came to light. The incident has sparked widespread protest in the state including by doctors and the common public.

Govt shielded Ghosh?

The agitating doctors have stuck to their demand to suspend the accused officer pending inquiry. Protestors across social and political circles of the state have accused the Mamata Banerjee administration of shielding Ghosh by not issuing a suspension order.

In its FIR registered on the directions of the Calcutta High Court, the CBI has booked Ghosh and three Kolkata-based private entities -- Ma Tara Traders of Madhya Jhorehat, Banipur, Howrah; Eshan Cafe of 4/1, Belgachia and Khama Louha. The premises of all these FIR named entities were searched during the operation.

The agency has filed the FIR against Ghosh and the private entities under charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

‘Beginning of the end’

West Bengal Governor Dr CV Ananda Bose on Monday night described the arrest of Ghosh as the beginning of the end.

The CBI on Monday arrested Ghosh and three others in connection with the alleged financial misconduct at the establishment "This is the beginning of the end," Bose told PTI, without elaborating.

Incidentally, the arrest of Ghosh happened days after Bose met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi with the petition of the parents of the deceased woman medic at the RG Kar Hospital.

According to an official at the Raj Bhavan, the parents had written a letter to Shah, through Bose, urging him for a speedy investigation of their daughter's death.

The body of a woman medic, who was raped and murdered, was found in the seminar room of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.

(With agency inputs)