Former principal of Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Ghosh, has moved the Supreme Court against an order of the Calcutta High Court transferring the probe into allegations of irregularities in tender processes and mismanagement against him from a Special Investigation Team to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
On August 23, the high court ordered the transfer of the probe into the alleged financial irregularities from a state-constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Dr. Ghosh was principal of the college where a junior doctor was raped and murdered on August 9, which led to nationwide protests. The CBI is investigating the crime on the orders of the High Court.
The medic’s body with severe injury marks was found in the seminar hall of the hospital’s chest department on August 9, 2024. A civic volunteer was arrested by the Kolkata Police in connection with the case the following day.
The high court’s August 23, 2024, order had come on a petition by a former deputy superintendent of the facility, Akhtar Ali, who had requested a probe by the Enforcement Directorate into alleged financial misconduct at the hospital during Mr. Ghosh’s tenure.
The high court had also dismissed Mr. Ghosh’s plea to be added as a party in the petition, holding that he was not a “necessary party” in the matter.
It had noted in its order, “In light of the apparent nexus between the aforementioned allegations and the locus of the incident, and considering that the investigation in the case (of murder and rape)… has already been entrusted to the CBI, in the interest of ensuring a comprehensive and unbiased inquiry, the investigation into the present matter ought to be similarly transferred to the CBI.”
On September 2, 2024, the CBI arrested Mr. Ghosh and three others in connection with the alleged financial misconduct at the establishment.
Mr. Ghosh, through his advocate Siddhartha Chowdhury, has approached the apex court against the high court’s August 23 order.
Dr. Ghosh’s petition in the apex court has been listed before a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud on September 6. He argued that the investigation was transferred by the High Court without giving him an opportunity to be heard. He is aggrieved by the High Court’s observations apparently linking the corruption allegations against him to the incident at the hospital
Before the high court, the ex-principal’s lawyer had prayed for being given an opportunity to defend his client since serious allegations had been levelled against him by the former deputy superintendent.
On August 20, the apex court termed the rape and murder case of the medic at the hospital “horrific” and issued a slew of directions, including the setting up of a 10-member National Task Force to formulate a protocol for ensuring the safety and security of doctors and other healthcare professionals.
(With inputs from PTI)
Published - September 04, 2024 08:34 pm IST
