The Calcutta High Court on Thursday expressed concerns over the West Bengal government’s delay in forming a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate serious financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Despite allegations surfacing nearly a year ago, the SIT was only constituted on August 20.
Akhtar Ali, the former deputy superintendent of the state-run hospital, had initially called for an Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation into the financial misconduct under the former principal, Sandip Ghosh. Ali reported these concerns to state authorities in 2023, but no significant action was taken until recently.
During the hearing, Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj questioned the state government about the one-year delay in forming the SIT after the allegations were reported. The next hearing is scheduled for Friday.
Sandip Ghosh was removed from his position following the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at the hospital on August 9. Ali accused Ghosh of various scams, including mishandling biomedical waste, illicitly managing dead bodies, accepting bribes to fail students, awarding unnecessary tenders, and operating unauthorized kiosks on hospital grounds.
Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) received court approval to conduct a polygraph test on Ghosh and four other doctors involved in the case. The CBI, which took over the investigation from the Kolkata Police, suspects an attempt to cover up the crime.
