KOLKATA: The role of Dr Sandip Ghosh, the principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, has come under scrutiny.
The recent rape and murder of a post-graduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata has triggered significant outrage and protests across West Bengal and the country. The 31-year-old victim’s semi-nude body was found inside a seminar hall of RG Kar on 9 August, sparking national attention and outrage.
After initial investigation and examination of footage from the CCTV cameras installed on the hospital premises, Kolkata Police arrested a civic volunteer, identified as Sanjay Roy, who later admitted to his crime.
Before committing the crime, the accused allegedly consumed alcohol with a patient’s relative. Later, he entered a seminar hall in the hospital where the victim was resting. According to CCTV footage and as per the crime timeline, he exited the hall about 45 minutes later.
The accused, who was arrested in an intoxicated condition from outside the hospital, has been sent to police custody until 23 August and many high-ranking officials of the RG Kar have been suspended for negligence in the matter.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee vowed to seek the death penalty for the culprit and assured a fast-tracked trial. After meeting the family of the deceased doctor on 12 August, she said: “I still don’t understand how this happened when the hospital had its own security too. The parents [of the victim] told me someone from inside could be involved. I’ve told the police to speak to everybody, her friends and the person who called the family first and find out… If the police cannot crack this by Sunday (18 August), since this could be an inside job, we will hand over the case to the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation), though their success rate is low.”
Mamata announced that Kolkata assistant commissioner of police Chandan Guha and Sanjay Bashistha, the medical superintendent cum vice-principal of RG Kar Hospital, had been suspended. However the transfer of the case never happened and it took the Calcutta High Court to step in and transfer the investigation to the CBI. On Tuesday, the Chief Justice’s Division Bench heard multiple Public Interest Litigations related to the incident.
During the hearing, the Chief Justice questioned the manner in which the College principal, Sandip Ghosh was given a fresh appointment within hours of resigning his position.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya also heard a plea by the parents of the victim, seeking the transfer of investigation to an independent agency.
Expressing concerns over the progress of the investigation under the state police, the bench held: “The parents of the victim have an apprehension that if the investigation is allowed to continue in this manner, it will derail. Therefore, they pray for extraordinary relief.
“One more disturbing aspect is that a case of unnatural death was registered. It is submitted that such cases are registered when there is no complaint. When the deceased was a doctor in the same hospital, it is surprising why the principal did not lodge a complaint. There has been no significant progress in the investigation.
“The administration was not with the victim or her family. The principal has not even given a statement. Without significant progress in the investigation, we would be well justified in accepting the prayers by the victim’s parents that evidence would be destroyed. Therefore, we transfer the investigation to the CBI to do justice between parties and to inspire public confidence.”
The parents of the deceased were represented by Senior Advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, who submitted that they initially received a phone call claiming that she had fallen sick and upon reaching the college were told that she had committed suicide, but were not allowed to see her body for up to three hours while waiting there.
Bhattacharya submitted that when the parents saw their daughter’s body for identification, they were convinced that the incident could not have been a suicide because of the gruesome nature of the injuries.
The senior counsel prayed that the matter be immediately transferred to the CBI since crucial evidence could be destroyed with the passage of time.
Counsel appearing for other petitioners submitted that Dr Sandip Ghosh, who was the principal of the medical college had resigned from his post claiming “moral responsibility” but was within a few hours appointed as principal of the Calcutta National Medical College, another government college.
Taking exception to such occurrences, the Court remarked: “If the principal has stepped down owing moral responsibility, it is rather serious that he is rewarded within 12 hours with another appointment. There is an apprehension that with lost time there is something that will go wrong. No man is above law, how did he step down and then be rewarded with another responsibility? The principal is the guardian of all doctors working there, if he doesn’t show any empathy who will show? He should be at home not working anywhere. So powerful that a Government counsel is representing him? The principal will not function. Let him go on a long leave. Otherwise, we will pass an order.”
The case has drawn severe criticism towards the West Bengal government for its handling of the investigation. Opposition parties, including the BJP, have demanded Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s resignation, accusing the administration of failing to ensure women’s safety. The situation has also brought attention to broader issues within the state’s healthcare system, including security lapses at government-run hospitals.
Medical associations nationwide, including the Indian Medical Association (IMA), have staged protests, calling for stricter action and better protection for healthcare workers. The CBI has been tasked with investigating the case due to concerns over the state police’s handling of evidence.
THE ‘ROLE’ OF SANDIP GHOSH
This tragedy has shone light on deep-rooted issues in West Bengal’s medical education system, particularly regarding the safety of medical professionals and the broader challenges facing the healthcare infrastructure.
The role of Dr Sandip Ghosh, the principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, has come under scrutiny. He has been questioned in connection with possible lapses in security and administration at the hospital. Allegations include negligence in maintaining safety measures at the facility, particularly in ensuring the safety of staff working late hours. There are also claims that the hospital management initially attempted to frame the incident as a suicide, leading to further public outrage.
On 12 August, Dr Sandip Ghosh, the principal of the hospital, stepped down under mounting pressure. “The students wanted my resignation. I felt the whole state wanted that. I hope that the students and junior doctors will return to work now,” Ghosh said while announcing his resignation.
The police and CBI have examined Dr Ghosh, but questions linger regarding his involvement or awareness of security failures at the hospital. His absence from later questioning, after the case was transferred to the CBI, has raised eyebrows. The investigation continues, with demands for more accountability from the college administration.
The tragedy also focused attention on the sordid goings-on at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, which insiders say are symptomatic of the state of healthcare in West Bengal under Mamata Banerjee, who is also the state’s Health Minister.
Students allege that for the last few years, several irregularities have been taking place at RG Kar, in which Dr Sandip Ghosh is directly related with such corruption and irregularities but no action has been taken against him.
According to a document circulated by students, the role of Dr Sandip Ghosh should be under the scanner for the following “scams”:
l Scam in Bio Waste Management and Syndicate of Selling Bio Waste to Culprits:
That the “biomedical wastes” are being “unlawfully collected” by the unauthorised, unknown and unwanted persons and the same are being “illegally trafficked” at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, and the same is going on barely and deliberately, however, even knowing about the same neither the hospital authority, nor the state administration is stopping the same, or taking any action against the persons, who are involved in it.
A writ petition WPA(P) 41 of 2024 was filed in the High Court and the court has directed the State Pollution Control Board to take proper investigation into the matter and the case is still on in the Court of Law.
l Illegal Management of Dead Bodies and Violation of Human Rights:
The dead bodies sent for post-mortem at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital were used for ENT workshop, without consent from the police or the patient party.
Students say that this is an absolute violation of the protocols of the National Human Right Commission. It also amounts to tampering of evidence. Here also, the involvement of the principal was evident, they allege.
A case in this regard (Case No. 467/SMC/2003) is ongoing at the State Human Rights Commission against Dr Sandip Ghosh, where he was summoned multiple times but refused to give the deposition.
l Financial Fraud 1. Procurement of Machineries at High Price and Procurement of Category Item from Open Market at a High Rate:
“During the Covid 19 pandemic we have lost our fellow citizens and Prof. (Dr.) Sandip Ghosh, Principal of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital took this serious condition as a business opportunity. Strangely Prof. (Dr.) Sandip Ghosh purchased HAFNO machines at a much higher price that was twice the market price,” allege students.
l Financial Fraud 2. Renting Hospital Space for Food Stall Without Approval of Appropriate Authority:
“Prof. (Dr.) Sandip Ghosh has rented several places of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital to different persons to run stalls. Strangely, stalls were given to person (M/s. Khama Louha—Bake World, now known in different name) who didn’t have Trade License, GST registration certificate, FSSAI certificate etc when he got the shop from Prof. (Dr.) Sandip Ghosh—thus creating a mockery of all the government norms. Similar stalls were given to different other people multiple times thereafter. Similar irregularity happened with one ESHAN CAFÉ also,” allege the students.
l Financial Fraud 3. Irregularities in Expenditure for Under-Graduate and Post-graduate Counseling
Students allege that in the name of counselling, public money was siphoned by RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and Prof. (Dr.) Sandip Ghosh. In the last quarter of 2022 for the counselling of Undergraduate Students, Rs.1,400,000 were utilized for hiring CCTV, Computer Appliances, Wifi, Sound System, Refreshment, Projection, Table and Chair. “The amount is absurd, with this amount RG Kar Medical College and Hospital could purchase the articles which they have hired,” allege students.
l Financial Fraud 4. Misuse of Academic Funds:
Principal Prof. (Dr.) Sandip Ghosh has also been accused of misusing the academic funds for different issues and expenditure funds and other things like buying all non-academic things at higher prices like sofa, curtains, tooth paste, brushes etc., which are mostly meant for personal use.
l Financial Fraud 5. Allegation of bribery to NMC inspectors at RG Kar:
In the first quarter of 2023, the NMC team visited RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. They were supposed to look into the issues of the hospital and they are not entitled to any sort of gifts while inspecting, but the Prof. (Dr.) Sandip Ghosh, Principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital purchased gifts with sweet packets from one Nisha Enterprise, Belgachia Kolkata, to gift the same to the NMC inspection team, allege students.
l Financial Fraud 6. Direct Complaint of bribery Against Prof. (Dr.) Sandip Ghosh:
One MB Devices and Systems, Godiaria, Jagatballavpur, Howrah-711408, wrote a letter under Ref No.RGK/23 dated 27.02.2023, clearly stating that every vendor has been ordered to pay 20% cut money for every tender in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and out of the same 10% has to be paid before receiving the order, the students allege.
l Financial Fraud 7. Illegal collection of money from parking:
RG Kar Medical College is openly and illegally collecting money from parking of two wheelers, which has no government order nor any audit. Even the amount of parking fees are not being mentioned in the parking slip generated, the students claim.
l Direct Complaint of One Assistant Superintendent against Dr Sandip Ghosh to the Law
Enforcing Agencies:
Irregularities of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and corruption was informed to Anti-Corruption Branch, West Bengal and on 20.07.2023 in a letter under memo no.394/1(1)/DIG/ACB(C)/262/2023 was forwarded to Principal Secretary, Government of West Bengal, Health & Family Welfare Department by Deputy Inspector-General of Police requesting him to take necessary action. But till date no step was taken, the students claim.
l The final case:
Very recently all these alleged financial frauds were put in the court of law in the form of a criminal case No. 51 of 2024 in the Court of ACJM Sealdah where the judge took serious cognizance of the matter and has ordered the local police station to start an enquiry against Dr Sandip Ghosh.
Even more damning is the accusation levelled against Ghosh by Trinamool Congress leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Santanu Sen. Sen alleges that Dr Sandip Ghosh, with the involvement of a bunch of interns, ran a racket of failing students who did not satisfy his financial demands. Those who paid were given question papers in advance and they could even access ChatGpt to write their answers. “I know, because my daughter who is in the ninth semester, has also been victimised by Sandip Ghosh,” Santanu Sen told The Sunday Guardian.
Dr Sandip Ghosh has been denying all these allegations.