Sandip Ghosh Appeals To Supreme Court Against HC Decision To Move Corruption Case To CBI

Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, has contested the Calcutta High Court’s decision to transfer his corruption case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

On August 23, the Calcutta High Court ordered that the investigation into alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar hospital, previously handled by a state-constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT), be taken over by the CBI. This decision followed Ghosh’s arrest, along with three others, for alleged financial misconduct at the government hospital.

Ghosh, who served as principal from February 2021 to September 2023, was briefly transferred from the position in October but returned within a month. He continued in this role until the recent death of a trainee doctor at the hospital, which has drawn significant scrutiny.

The other individuals arrested alongside Ghosh include Afsar Ali, his security guard, and hospital vendors Biplav Singha and Suman Hazara.

Ghosh has argued that the “principles of natural justice” were not applied in his case and has requested the removal of certain remarks made in court. A hearing on these matters is scheduled for Friday.

The High Court’s directive came in response to a petition filed by Dr. Akhtar Ali, the former deputy superintendent of RG Kar. Ali had previously urged the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to investigate allegations of financial misconduct at the hospital during Ghosh’s tenure. Ali claimed that his complaints to the state vigilance commission and anti-corruption bureau led to his own transfer rather than addressing the issues.

Amid speculation that the corruption at RG Kar may be linked to the death of the trainee doctor—who was believed to be aware of these issues—the Calcutta High Court’s decision to transfer the case has intensified the scrutiny.

Ghosh’s arrest marks the second major arrest at the hospital since August 9. Earlier, Sanjoy Roy, a Kolkata Police civic volunteer, was arrested and handed over to the CBI in connection with the alleged rape and murder of the medic.

In his petition, Ali alleged that Ghosh was involved in illegal activities such as selling unclaimed corpses, trafficking biomedical waste, and awarding tenders in exchange for kickbacks from suppliers. He also accused Ghosh of pressuring students to pay between Rs. 5 and 8 lakhs to pass their exams.