'Wanted to hide something': RG Kar Ex-principal Sandip Ghosh came under CAG lens in 2021
Times of India | 22 August 2024
KOLKATA: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had flagged financial irregularities at R G Kar Medical College way back in 2021, the year Sandip Ghosh took charge as principal of the institute. Ghosh had reportedly refused to respond to multiple CAG reminders, raising suspicion that he wanted to hide something.
As CAG started looking into procurement of medicines and equipment by the institute, they came across earlier purchases that did not follow state GST norms, leading to excess expenditure.
After Goods and Services Tax was introduced, govt notified hospitals that medicines and equipment would be charged under GST, even if the vendor had a pre-GST contract. The finance department issued a guideline on working out the base price. CAG found that RG Kar did not follow the base price calculation prescribed by the finance department. It resulted in an excess expenditure of Rs 1.3 crore, the 2021 CAG report stated. CAG sought a reply from the state. A health department official said no response came from R G Kar Medical College and Hospital.