The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has broadened its probe into financial irregularities at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, now including three business entities in the ongoing investigation. The updated First Information Report (FIR) identifies these entities as Maa Tara Traders, Ehsan Cafe, and Kham Louha.
The inclusion of these entities follows a petition submitted to the Calcutta High Court by Akhtar Ali, a whistleblower and former deputy superintendent of R.G. Kar Medical College. The court’s directive last week prompted the CBI to assume control of the case.
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Initially, the investigation focused on Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of R.G. Kar, who is also under scrutiny for his alleged involvement in the recent rape and murder of a junior doctor at the hospital. The CBI’s latest move is based on evidence suggesting that the three business entities benefited from the financial irregularities during Ghosh’s tenure.
On Sunday, CBI officials conducted extensive raids and searches at multiple locations, including Ghosh’s residence in Beliaghata, central Kolkata, and the premises of Biplab Sinha, the proprietor of Maa Tara Traders in Howrah. The operation also targeted other locations linked to current and former officials of R.G. Kar.
Preliminary findings indicate that Maa Tara Traders held a dominant position in supplying medical equipment to the hospital, allegedly due to its close ties with Ghosh. The CBI’s investigation, which includes 15 specific charges of financial misconduct, centers on claims that various contracts were awarded without proper approvals from the state health department and the college council.