CBI raids 15 locations in Kolkata linked to ex-RG Kar principal Sandip Ghosh in corruption case
The Statesman | 26 August 2024
The anti-corruption branch of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today carried out searches at several locations in Kolkata linked to former RG Kar Medical College principal Sandip Ghosh and his relatives. According to CBI sources, the operation involved 15 locations associated with Dr Ghosh and his family throughout the city.
A CBI team also reached the residence of Dr Debashish Som, Demonstrator of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital at Kestopur, on Sunday morning, sources said. These actions come in re – sp onse to a complaint lo dg – ed three days prior by Akhtar Ali, the former Deputy Superintendent of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Mr Ali’s complaint accused the institution of corruption and irregularities, specifically naming Dr. Debashish Som. The allegations range from bodies disappearing from the morgue to corruption relating to illegal tendering process of the hospital cafe, canteen, stalls and involving bio-medical waste.
According to the complaints of Mr Ali, several post mortem reports were manipulated on the payment of cash. He contended that Dr Som must be interrogated by the CBI regarding the post mortem report of the raped and murdered PGT student, which could have been manipulated, according to him. Dr Som is also a member of the council of R.G. Kar Medical College. He is on the college’s National Medical Commission (NMC) committee as well. The CBI also conducted a search at the Entally residence of Sanjay Vashisth, the former superintendent of R.G. Kar Hospital. After several hours of searching since the morning, the investigators suddenly left with Dr Vashisth in the afternoon, going to another ho use belonging to him. A se arch was conducted there as well.
A raid was conducted at the house of Biplab Singh, a supplier of medical equipment and kits to R.G. Kar Hospital, in Howrah. Around 6:45 a.m. on Sunday morning, the CBI arrived in front of Dr Sandip Ghosh’s house in Beleghata. After over an hour, Dr Ghosh opened the door around 8.03 a.m. and the CBI entered the house. The search has been ongoing since then. Around 12:30 p.m, another team of CBI officers entered Dr Ghosh’s house. This team had six officers. Another CBI team has go ne to the house of a café ow n er on J.K. Ghosh Road in Be l – gachia. Additionally, there are reports that a CBI team has also visited R.G. Kar Hospital. On Saturday, the CBI registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Dr. Sandip Ghosh after orders from Calcutta High Court.
The investigation was launched after the High Court directed the CBI to look into the allegations of corruption at the medical college. Earlier, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Kolkata Police delivered essential documents to the CBI office at Nizam Palace. Acting on this information, the CBI filed an FIR and submitted a copy to the Alipore Chief Judicial Magistrate’s (CJM) Court on Saturday.
Calcutta High Court has granted the CBI three weeks to submit a progress report on the investigation, which is due to be presented on 17 September. Earlier, on Tuesday, the Supreme Court while hearing the suo motu case concerning the rape and murder of the trainee doctor. had ordered that the security of Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital should be handed over to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) The trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on 9 August.