CBI Investigates Former RG Kar Medical College Principal Sandip Ghosh in Kolkata

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) launched an extensive investigation on Sunday into alleged financial irregularities at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The CBI conducted searches at multiple locations connected to former principal Dr. Sandip Ghosh, ex-MSVP Sanjay Vashisth, and several others involved in the management of the institution. In total, searches were carried out at 15 locations across Kolkata, including the residences and offices of those engaged in supplying materials for patient care.

The investigation stems from a complaint filed by Akhtar Ali, a former Deputy Superintendent of RG Kar Medical College, who accused Dr. Debashish Som, a Demonstrator of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology at the college, of corruption and irregularities. Acting on directives from the Calcutta High Court, the CBI registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Dr. Ghosh on Saturday and initiated the probe. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) from the High Court had earlier provided the CBI with crucial documents related to the case.

On Sunday, CBI officers questioned Dr. Ghosh at his Beliaghata residence from early in the morning, while other teams interrogated Dr. Vashisth and several professors from the forensic medicine department. The CBI also searched the ex-principal’s office at the hospital and visited the canteen in the academic building. Present principal Manas Kumar Bandyopadhyay was asked to accompany the CBI team during their searches at the medical establishment.

The investigation also ties into a broader probe following the tragic incident on August 9, where a postgraduate trainee woman doctor was allegedly raped and murdered in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College. The crime, which led to nationwide protests, resulted in the arrest of a Kolkata Police civic volunteer. In light of these events, the Supreme Court ordered that security at the hospital be handed over to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

The Calcutta High Court has granted the CBI three weeks to submit a progress report on the investigation, with a deadline set for September 17. The CBI’s actions reflect the agency’s commitment to addressing both the alleged financial misconduct and the heinous crime that has shocked the nation.