Doctor's rape-murder: Calcutta HC asks hospital's ex-principal to go on long leave
The court questioned how the principal, who submitted his resignation, was reinstated as principal of Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital within hours
The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday (August 13) ordered Dr Sandip Ghosh, former principal of RG Kar Hospital, to take an extended leave following the brutal rape and murder of a doctor on campus.
The parents of the postgraduate trainee had moved the HC, seeking a court-monitored investigation in the case. A number of other PILs were also filed that sought a CBI probe into it.
Hearing the petitions, a division bench presided by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam observed that "something is missing" in the probe, and asked whether the then principal of the medical college, Sandip Ghosh’s statement was recorded, to which the state lawyer answered in the negative.
Questioning how the principal of RG Kar hospital, who submitted his resignation, was reinstated as principal of Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital within hours, the bench, also comprising Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, asked his counsel to produce both the resignation letter and the subsequent appointment letter when the matter will be taken up for hearing at 1 pm.
Dr Ghosh, under scrutiny for comments seen as victim-blaming and failing to ensure staff safety, resigned on Monday, declaring “the girl who died was like my daughter... as a parent, I am resigning”. However, he was appointed as Principal of the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital within hours. The court has also asked for the case diary by 1 pm in the RG Kar Hospital rape and murder case.
“If the principal has stepped down owing moral responsibility, rather serious that he is rewarded within 12 hours with another appointment. There is an apprehension that with lost time there is something that will go wrong,” Live Law India quoted court as saying.
The court remarked that the principal is the guardian of all doctors working there and asked, if he fails to show empathy, who will? It added that he should be at home, not employed anywhere.
The body of the woman postgraduate trainee, who was allegedly raped and murdered inside a seminar hall of the RG Kar Hospital, was found on Friday morning. A civic volunteer was arrested in this connection on Saturday.
(With agency inputs)