Former deputy superintendent of Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Akhtar Ali, arrived at the special CBI court in Alipore Saturday to surrender in connection with the case of financial irregularities at the state-run facility.
Ali, the key whistleblower in the institution’s multi-crore financial irregularities case, said he had taken leave from the hospital — where he had been admitted for the past few days — in order to surrender before the court. But since the CBI counsel was not present and Ali could not submit the documents, he was unable to surrender and left the court after waiting for some time.
According to sources close to Ali, he has been suffering from acute back pain and had to be admitted in hospital.
Speaking to the media on Saturday, Ali said, “I am out in the open, not hiding. I do not know why the sections given to me are the same as those given to Sandip Ghosh. I am in the dark. I cannot say much, but I feel I am in a trap. I was the complainant. As many times as they have called me, I have gone and recorded my statement, and based on that they arrested Ghosh and others.”
“The ED has also given chargesheet, but my name is not there. I will just say it is my bad luck. I have no link with any corruption at RG Kar. I will come to court again on Monday,” he said.
The state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital had come under scrutiny in August 2024 after the rape and murder of a trainee doctor on duty. Akhtar Ali, who was the first to level corruption charges against the institution’s then principal Dr Sandip Ghosh, has since been named himself in a financial corruption supplementary chargesheet.
In December 2025, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) submitted a supplementary chargesheet in the RG Kar financial irregularities scam case, in which they named Ali. According to the chargesheet, a copy of which is with The Indian Express, “Akhtar Ali (A-7) was grossly involved in the illegal procurement process at RGKMCH and he was dealing with the procurement even prior to joining of Sandip Ghosh.”
On Friday, the Alipore Special CBI Court had issued an arrest warrant against Ali under non-bailable sections for not appearing in the hearing of the case, and had ordered his immediate arrest. Earlier this week, the Calcutta High Court had rejected Ali’s anticipatory bail plea.
In 2023, Ali, then deputy superintendent at RG Kar, had submitted a written complaint to the State Vigilance Commission alleging financial misconduct by Ghosh. Following his complaint, Ali was transferred to Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital, where he served briefly as deputy superintendent (non-medical).
In April 2025, he was again transferred—this time to Kaliyaganj Hospital in Uttar Dinajpur as deputy superintendent. By November, Ali was suspended. In a notification explaining the suspension, the health department stated that, based on the Calcutta High Court’s orders, the CBI’s investigation into RG Kar’s financial irregularities had uncovered Ali’s involvement.
As per the chargesheet, Ali, while working as assistant superintendent (non-medical) and later deputy superintendent (non-medical) at RGKMCH, allegedly exerted undue influence over equipment purchases.