The former principal of RG Kar Medical College, Sandip Ghosh, is now facing serious legal challenges as an FIR has been filed against him for criminal conspiracy and cheating, alongside a separate case under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The charges were brought following a complaint by the health department’s special secretary in June, two months before the tragic rape and murder of a junior doctor brought renewed scrutiny to his questionable activities.
The FIR, registered at Tala police station by Kolkata Police, coincides with Ghosh’s ongoing interrogation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is investigating the rape-murder case. Interestingly, Ghosh was briefly reinstated as principal of Calcutta National Medical College just four hours after his resignation from RG Kar, a decision later overturned by the Calcutta High Court, which mandated that he go on leave.
According to an official at Swasthya Bhawan, the headquarters of the Bengal health department, the complaint filed by Special Secretary Debal Kumar Ghosh in June highlighted a potential criminal nexus between Sandip Ghosh and several unscrupulous contractors. The complaint alleged that this collusion resulted in “collusive bidding” for construction and renovation projects at RG Kar.
The internal inquiry conducted by the health department subsequently confirmed these suspicions, pointing to a criminal relationship between Ghosh and certain contractors. The investigation into Ghosh’s activities has now been transferred to a Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by Nabanna, the state secretariat.
The SIT, led by Inspector General of Police (Training) Pranab Kumar, has been tasked with investigating the administrative operations of RG Kar from 2021 onwards, a period during which Ghosh was the principal. The team will scrutinize all contracts awarded during this time and examine allegations of fund misappropriation.
Reports indicate that the SIT may involve chartered accountants to help uncover discrepancies in the financial records. Although allegations of financial misconduct and mismanagement against Ghosh have been circulating since April 2022, he had managed to evade consequences until now.