The CBI, which is probing the rape and murder of a junior doctor and alleged financial irregularities at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, has told a special court that its investigation showed that Sandip Ghosh, principal of the college at the time of the rape-and-murder incident on August 9, had a “criminal nexus” with “other co-accused” for “wrongful gain”.
It also claimed that two vendors, who Ghosh knew from the time he was posted at the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital, benefited from the award of hospital contracts after he moved to Kolkata.
A firm belonging to his security aide’s wife was also awarded a cafe contract by the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital (RGKMCH), the agency alleged.
These submissions were made by the CBI before the special court in Alipore on September 3 when Ghosh was produced there along with three others — Biplab Singha, Suman Hazra and Afsar Ali — following their arrest. All four are in CBI custody.
Ghosh was at the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital from 2016 to 2018. Towards the end of 2018, he was transferred to the Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital. He remained there until February 2021 when he took charge of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. In September 2023, he was moved back to the Murshidabad institute. He returned to the RG Kar campus within a month and continued there until the August 9 incident. He resigned on August 12 and was immediately posted to the Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital. The next day, the Calcutta High Court stepped in and made him go on leave. Following his arrest by the CBI, he was suspended.
In its submissions to the court, the CBI said: “Evidences collected during investigation conducted so far have revealed that Dr Sandip Ghosh, in criminal nexus with other co-accused persons, by way of illegal means, caused wrongful loss to the Government and corresponding wrongful gain to himself and other accused persons.”
“That investigation has revealed that vendors Shri Biplab Singha and Shri Suman Hazra are close acquaintances of Shri Sandip Ghosh. Shri Sandip Ghosh has known Shri Biplab Singha since the time when Shri Sandip Ghosh was posted as HoD (head of department) at Murshidabad. Shri Biplab Singha was working as a vendor there,” it said.
According to the CBI, Singha and Hazra continued their relations with Sandip Ghosh when he was transferred to the Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital (CNMCH).
“After his transfer to RGKMCH, (Ghosh) brought both these vendors to RGKMCH where they started and continued with supply of materials. It is revealed that they all have been frequently in touch with each other which corroborates the allegation of criminal nexus as in the FIR,” the CBI said.
“That investigation has revealed that M/s Maa Tara Traders, owned and operated by its proprietor Biplab Singha, had a close relationship with Dr. Sandip Ghosh. During searches conducted and evidences gathered thereafter, documentary and oral evidences have surfaced which prima facie reveal that Biplab Singha controlled and operated many firms run by himself, his friend, family members, staffs, etc. through which he used to participate in tenders by way of submitting quotations from the firms controlled and operated by himself. It is revealed that Biplab Singha used to submit quotations and other documents of above firms to make the bids competitive and finally used to get work orders in the name of one of the above firms, mostly in the name of Maa Tara Traders, M/s Baba Loknath and Tiasha Enterprises. He used to participate in different tenders through his own firms,” it said.
“Investigation has prima facie revealed that the process adopted by Dr Sandip Ghosh, the then Principal, in the award of contract to M/s Maa Tara Traders was not transparent,” it said.
According to the CBI, letters of work order used to be addressed to different officers of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, but these were never handed over to them. “The award of work letter used to be shared with the other staff of R G Kar College and Hospital only when the same was to be cleared by the Accounts section,” it said.
This, the agency claimed, pointed to “serious lapses in the award of tenders and contracts to M/s Maa Tara Traders and its associate companies, run and operated by Biplab Singha”.
“That investigation has prima facie disclosed that M/s Hazra Medical, controlled and operated by Suman Hazra, had patronage of Dr. Sandip Ghosh. On the similar footing as of Maa Tara Traders, M/s Hazra Medical was also awarded multiple contracts from R G Kar Medical College and Hospital keeping similar modus operandi,” it said.
“Investigation has also disclosed that many works were awarded to Hazra Medical which were not related to supply of medical equipment, such as sofa set, refrigerator etc. Investigation has disclosed prima facie that after joining the nexus with Dr Sandip Ghosh, Suman Hazra’s firm’s business rose three times from 2021 to 2022.”
The CBI, in its submission to the court, also described how Ghosh favoured his security aide Afsar Ali. “Dr. Sandip Ghosh favoured his close aide Afsar Ali Khan in the award of contract of a cafe on the premises of RGKMCH. The said contract was signed between RGKMCH and M/s Eshan Cafe. Nargis Khanum w/o Afsar Ali Khan is the proprietor of this firm. However, Afsar Ali Khan manages all the affairs of this firm. Contract to M/s Eshan Cafe was awarded in a predetermined manner as it was the only eligible firm fulfilling the technical criteria to participate in the tender out of the total 4 bidders,” it told the court.
The CBI is also investigating the role of Ali in the alleged sale of biomedical waste. Ali, it said, used to contact vendors to sell such waste.
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