A corruption case has been lodged against Dr. Sandip Ghosh, the former head of Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, in connection with the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the institution. The complaint was filed by Debal Kumar Ghosh, Senior Special Secretary of the Bengal Health Department, following a series of allegations regarding financial irregularities during Dr. Ghosh’s tenure.
The controversy surrounding Dr. Ghosh has intensified after the Bengal government, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe allegations of corruption and financial mismanagement at RG Kar Medical College from 2021 to the present. The SIT, tasked with scrutinizing the financial activities at the college, will be led by Pranav Kumar, Inspector General of Police, and will include Waquar Reza, DIG of Murshidabad Range; Soma Das Mitra, DIG of CID; and Indira Mukherjee, DCP of Kolkata Police. The panel is expected to submit its initial report to the Bengal government within a month.
This development follows the high-profile case of the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor, which has sparked nationwide protests. The victim’s body was discovered in a semi-naked state on August 9 in a room adjacent to a seminar hall at the medical college. Dr. Ghosh has come under scrutiny for his handling of the case. He was interrogated for several hours by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for the fourth consecutive day. Questions have been raised about Dr. Ghosh’s actions following the discovery of the body, including why there was a delay of nearly three hours before the victim’s parents were allowed to view their daughter’s body, and who authorized the renovation of the rooms where the body was found.
In related developments, Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer with Kolkata Police, who was arrested in connection with the case, has been ordered to undergo a polygraph test. The local court granted permission to the CBI to conduct this test on Monday.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the case involving the rape and murder of the trainee doctor today. A three-judge bench, comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra, will preside over the matter, adding to the mounting legal and public scrutiny surrounding this tragic incident.
The case continues to attract widespread attention, with demands for justice and accountability echoing across the country, while the SIT and CBI work to uncover the full extent of the corruption and misconduct involved.
