RG Kar Principal Arrested in Financial Scam, Sent to 8 Days CBI Custody

Kolkata : Former principal of R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital, Sandip Ghosh, has been sent to eight days of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) custody following his arrest over alleged financial irregularities at the state-run institution. Ghosh was apprehended on Monday evening, with the CBI initially requesting a 10-day remand to further investigate the financial misconduct. However, the court granted eight days of custody.

Ghosh’s arrest is linked to a broader investigation into a major financial scam at the medical college, where he is alleged to have played a significant role. As he was taken to the special court, a large crowd gathered, chanting “thief, thief,” reflecting the public anger against him. Due to security concerns, Ghosh’s mandatory medical examination was conducted within the CBI’s Nizam Palace office premises late Monday night.

This arrest also ties into the ongoing CBI probe into the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the same hospital last month. The agency is conducting parallel investigations into both the financial scam and the murder case. The Calcutta High Court had earlier transferred the investigation into the financial irregularities from a state-constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) to the CBI. Ghosh, along with three others, was arrested in connection with the financial misconduct, with opposition parties accusing the ruling TMC government of attempting to cover up the scandal.

Ghosh served as principal of R.G. Kar Medical College from February 2021 to September 2023. Despite being transferred, he returned to his position within a month and held it until the murder of the junior doctor was uncovered. Allegations against Ghosh include illegal activities such as the sale of unclaimed corpses, biomedical waste trafficking, and pressuring students for bribes to pass exams.

The ongoing investigations and arrests have put significant pressure on the Mamata Banerjee administration, with critics accusing the government of shielding Ghosh. The CBI’s recent actions, including searches at Ghosh’s residence and polygraph tests, underscore the seriousness of the charges. The case has sparked widespread public and political outcry, with calls for further accountability and transparency in the state’s handling of the case.